INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION RADIOCOMMUNICATION ADVISORY GROUP GENEVA, 12-16 APRIL 1994 Document RAG94/34-E This document is also published as TSAG-R 8. 28 April 1994 Original: English Chairmen of the Telecommunication Standardization and Radiocommunication Advisory Groups CONCLUSIONS OF THE JOINT TSAG/RAG MEETING GENEVA, 15 APRIL 1994 1 Introduction and Intellectual Property Upon suggestion by Mr. B. Horton, Chairman of the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG), the meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the Radiocommunication Advisory Group (RAG), Mr. M. Goddard (United Kingdom) and heard a report of progress in the first RAG meeting (which had been meeting since 12 April). In particular, the RAG had proposed that there should be a common policy on Intellectual Property in respect of Recommendations and that the RAG was content to follow the Patent Policy established in the Telecommunication Standardization Sector. The joint meeting confirmed this position and TSAG agreed to inform RAG of any proposals to change the current policy statement. 2 Radiocommunication Assembly 1993 A brief report on the outcome of the 1993 Radiocommunication Assembly was presented. The Assembly had confirmed the allocation of work between the two Sectors and the principles on which further reviews of the allocation would be based. A procedure for the adoption of Recommendations between assemblies had also been agreed, very similar to that of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector. 3 Allocation of Work between the Sectors The meeting heard that there had already been a general discussion in both advisory groups on the principles proposed in the Canadian document (RAG94/27 = TSAG/D.35). Both groups had confirmed the general thrust of these principles. Following confirmation from Canada that they recognized that some changes might be necessary in the distribution of work between the Sectors, and that they were advocating a degree of stability and consolidation for the next few years, the joint meeting gave general approval to the principles in the document. 3.1 Satellite Issues Following a report from the Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 4, Mr. Hauck (Switzerland) (RAG94/28 = TSAG/DT/91), the RAG had proposed the following. ITU-R Task Group 4/3 (TG 4/3), at its June meeting, should try to complete the outstanding work on items 4.1 and 4.2 of the document. Once the relevant Recommendations had been approved in the Radiocommunication Sector, the responsibility for the maintenance of these Recommendations, and any further outstanding work in TG 4/3 (including item 4.3 of the document) would be transferred to the Telecommunication Standardization Sector. At this stage TG 4/3 in the Radiocommunication Sector could be disbanded. This proposal was agreed by the joint meeting. 3.2 Other Issues The detailed proposals for further refinements in the co- ordinated allocation of work contained in Document TSAG/DT/87, were agreed by the meeting. Appreciation was expressed by Mr. Haydon (Australia) and all those concerned in the development of these proposals. Document TSAG/DT/88 made proposals to ensure clarity in the drafting of Questions. The meeting agreed to invite Study Group Chairmen to review the drafting of Questions. Action had already been initiated by the Radiocommunication Assembly, and the relevant section of the WTSC-93 Resolution No. 1 was made available to RAG participants. The meeting also endorsed the second part of the TSAG document which called for a clear presentation of the projects and work areas in both Sectors using a compatible format. 4 Working Methods 4.1 Study Group Numbering Following a proposal from Sweden (Document RAG94/26 = TSAG/D.36) it was agreed that there would be merit in including in the abbreviated title of Study Groups the letter R, T or D to indicate the relevant Sector. It was agreed that the full title of Study Groups should be in the form "ITU-[X] Study Group [Y]" where X = R, T or D depending on the Sector and Y = the Study Group number. However no agreement was reached on abbreviations (such as SG R1 for example), because of the need to avoid confusion with the identification of documentation, other standards bodies etc. The two Directors were invited to consider the matter further and agree a common solution. 4.2 Working Methods for ICGs The meeting considered Document TSAG/D.25 from the United Kingdom which proposed further clarification of the mandate and working methods for ICGs and JCGs. Insofar as ICGs are concerned, the joint meeting made a number of comments and these were to be incorporated into a revised document which the two advisory groups would be invited to endorse (the RAG and TSAG subsequently separately agreed an amended version of the revised text). 5 Report from the ICGs 5.1 Satellite Matters The meeting endorsed the report from Mr. Knight, Chairman of the ICG on Satellite Matters. It noted with appreciation the effectiveness of the coordination process and the lessons learnt with regard to the working methods for the ICGs. The only possibility of duplication or incorrect allocation of work identified was in respect of the interconnection of VSATs with the public networks, and that had been resolved by the decision on the future of ITU-R TG 4/3. 5.2 FPLMTS (Future Public Land Mobile Telecommunication Systems) The meeting endorsed the report presented by Mr. Cabrera on behalf of Mr. Blane, the Chairman of the ICG on FPLMTS. Again satisfaction was expressed with the working arrangements and in particular the statement that the coordination process had identified no duplication of work and had not delayed progress. Following a proposal from Mr. George (Germany), Chairman ITU-R Study Group 8, the joint meeting agreed that the lead ICG for consideration of satellite aspects of FPLMTS should be the ICG on FPLMTS. 6 Date of next Meeting Although there might be advantage for the Radiocommunication Sector in holding the next RAG meeting immediately after the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) in April 1995, the joint meeting agreed to confirm the proposal to hold the next TSAG and RAG meetings in the week 23-27 January 1995. The precise arrangements for the joint meeting during the week would be confirmed later. 7 Conclusions The meeting expressed its satisfaction with the ongoing coordination between the two Sectors and recognized the need to find the means to extend that to include the Telecommunication Development Sector, now that study groups had been established in that Sector at the recent first World Telecommunication Development Conference in Buenos Aires. _________________ RAG94/34-E