Motivation

Protocols for migration to packet-based networks are evolving. Development of protocols in parallel by various international standardization bodies has led to the emergence of different protocols such as BICC, H.323, and SIP.

Many developing countries have expressed an urgent need for assistance in understanding how the various ITU-T Recommendations can be used. A handbook is needed to assist ITU-T members in the deployment of packet-based networks to support PSTN/ISDN services. This handbook requires inputs from and close collaboration between ITU-T- and ITU-D sectors. This Question shall coordinate the activities within SG11 and across the ITU-T sector.

Cooperation with external bodies outside of the ITU, in particular the SDOs, is required to gather any relevant information from these organizations and avoid duplication of effort.

Recommendations in force for which the Question is responsible: none.

Question

Study items to be considered include, but are not limited to:

• What coordination and preparation is needed by the ITU-T sector to prepare a single handbook by the ITU-T and ITU-D sectors, containing different aspects related to technical matters
• What advice is required to assure adequate security in the deployment of packet-based networks?
• What functional architecture and entities are required to support services and/or applications of public interest such as emergency call handling, lawful interception, number portability, etc.?
• What advice is required to provide energy savings directly or indirectly in information and communication technologies or in other industries?

Tasks

Tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Identify network interconnection scenarios.
• Coordinate ITU-T sector inputs to a handbook produced in cooperation with the ITU-D sector, that would contain the following:
  • assistance with identifying appropriate protocols consistent with the existing and new service requirements of telecom administrations/operators, for migration from circuit switched networks to packet based networks in the evolutionary phase towards NGN;
  • the extent of interoperability for services possible between networks employing different protocols; and
  • generic guidelines covering aspects of testing.
  The inputs shall include any technical aspects as prepared by the relevant Study Groups.
• Prepare the technical inputs to the handbook, on the signalling requirements and protocol aspects of packet-based networks to support PSTN/ISDN services.

Relationships

Recommendations:

As required.

Questions:

Questions relating to control and signalling architectures and protocols (ALL/11).

Study Groups:

ITU-T Study Group(s) responsible for:

• operational aspects of service provisioning and network performance aspects.
• TMN aspects.
• principles, requirements, frameworks and architectures for an overall heterogeneous network environment.
• multimedia architecture aspects.
• data networks and telecommunication software aspects.
• ITU-D Study Group 2.

Standardization bodies:

Organizations such as: ASTAP (Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Standardization Program), CITEL, ETSI and IETF.