WTSA2000 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly	Outcome
		27 September - 6 October
Montreal, 6 October 2000

Report on the outcome of the Assembly

Contents:

• Fast-track approval
• International Internet Connection
• Global target schedules for accounting rates
• New Special Study Group for IMT-2000 and beyond
• Reform
• Rights of Associates
• Structure of the Sector and priorities of the work programme
• Contact

One of the key decisions of this Assembly is the adoption of a fast-track approval process for the adoption of standards that do not have policy and regulatory implications.

Considered a fundamental tool to improve the efficiency of work, the adoption of the Recommendation came up against two schools of thought: one that considered that the right of Member States was essential and that further consideration in the change of rights of private sector members should be considered within overall ITU Reform discussions. The other considered that the two categories of members should act together as provided for in a resolution adopted by the Minneapolis Plenipotentiary Conference; and in that perspective, private sector members should be given increased rights including being able to approve standards. Despite several proposals tabled attempting to bridge the differences, the only way acceptable to all was to adopt the draft text that had been tabled at the outset and had been agreed upon by the TSAG.

Under the new alternative approval process, standards that are developed to a sufficiently mature state, will be sent for comment to Member States and Sector Members. After a four week period, it will be considered approved if no comment of substance has been received, and if the standard meets the requirements of the ITU patent policy. If comments are made by the end of the last call, a series of processes will be triggered by the Study Group to attempt to come up with agreement.

The new fast-track procedure is applicable with immediate effect but will be applicable only to technical standards. For the approval process for technical questions or standards with policy or regulatory implications, WTSA agreed on criteria that should serve to provide guidance to Study Groups. In addition to matters identified by decision of Member States or recommended by TSAG, issues considered as having policy or regulatory implications include the right of the public to correspond, the protection of telecommunication installations, numbering and addressing resources, safety of life and practices applicable to competitive markets. For such matters, the traditional approval process (TAP), where formal adoption by Member States is required, will be applied.

The discussions on this very contentious issue found a positive outcome on the last day of the Assembly. The purpose of the recommendation is to set out the principle according to which there should be bilateral agreement when two providers establish a circuit between two countries for the purpose of carrying Internet traffic. The possible need for compensation between the providers has also been recognized. At present, when providers install Internet circuits, they generally have a choice between the "sender-keeps-all" or peering system of bilateral connections when traffic is more or less balanced, or the asymmetrical system whereby the initiating provider pays for the whole connection with the other country (full-circuit cost).

The Recommendation endorsed by the WTSA, which represents a very delicate balance between the various interests, calls for arrangements to be negotiated and agreed upon on a commercial basis when direct Internet links are established internationally. The Recommendation requires only that the two providers involved reach a mutual agreement and does not prescribe any particular formula or system, thus leaving to providers their freedom to determine the forms or methodologies to be used in implementing the principle.

The Recommendation, which is voluntary, suggests that parties involved take into account the possible need for compensation for elements such as traffic flow, number of routes, geographical coverage and the cost of international transmission among others when negotiating such commercial arrangements. In addition, the Assembly agreed that while international Internet connections remain subject to commercial agreements between operating agencies, there is a need for on-going studies in this area. The Chairman recalled that the decision made in Montreal provided a framework for future discussions and was therefore only the beginning of a process where issues would be further analyzed. Two countries - the US and Greece - made reservations and stated that they would not apply it in their international charging arrangements.

The full text of the Recommendation can be found by clicking here.

Another burning issue at WTSA was target rates applicable for the international settlement of accounts.

Discussions on the reform of the accounting rates have been going on for years in Study Group 3. Last December, as a result of very delicate negotiations, indicative target rates and specified deadlines for each country in order to facilitate smooth transition to cost-oriented rates were put forward for approval as annex to Recommendation D.140, but were opposed by one country.

Those opposing the annex considered the target rates as unacceptable because it did not represent market conditions. Many countries however said that they had strived to move from monopoly to competitive environments and to bring this liberalization process to fruition, a transition plan was imperative. Accounting rates went down by 12% in the last three years. Many considered that even if it was far from perfect, it would provide a sound basis to continue the discussions in Study Group 3.

The Annex was finally adopted by an overwhelming majority.

The Assembly considered the creation of a group to deal with IMT-2000 and beyond. An intense and lively debate took place on the need for a new flexible and dynamic approach that would be better suited to rapidly respond to market requirements. While all agreed to that objective, the extent to which the working methods should differ from that of other Study Groups was at the heart of the debate.

It was finally decided that a Special Study Group would be created. While having the status of a standard Study Group, it would operate under a provisional set of working procedures that would be specific to that Group.

This Group, identified as Lead Study Group for the network aspects of IMT-2000 and beyond, will be responsible for the harmonization of different IMT-2000 family member standards as they evolve beyond IMT-2000 as well as the evolution of network aspects of IMT-2000 from the existing fixed network by utilizing the IMT-2000 radio transmission technologies as fixed wireless access.

It will also provide a migration path regarding network aspects and mobility from existing IMT-2000 systems towards systems beyond IMT-2000 and will enhance an overview roadmap on network aspects and mobility of existing IMT-2000 systems specified by ITU-T and external standards development organizations (SDOs), Partnership Projects (PPs), IETF, and relevant external forums.

The development of a near term IP-based internet working and long term common IP-based network architecture as applicable to IMT-2000 will also be considered.

Finally the Special Study Group is charged with undertaking an assessment of the possible standardization of IMT-2000 interfaces to provide multi-vendor advantages for operators, if these are not provided by external organizations.

In order to assist developing countries in the application of IMT-2000 and related wireless technologies, consultations should be held with representatives of development sector of the ITU with a view to identifying how this might best be done.

The type of output of the Special Study Group will be Recommendations to be developed and approved in the same manner as other study groups. The Special Study Group will report on its activities and progress to each TSAG meeting.

The first meeting of the Special Study Group is foreseen to take place before the end of the year.

A great deal of discussion went into the reform of ITU standardization activities and in particular, on the work of an ad hoc Group established by the ITU Working Group on Reform to consider a new global standardization entity under the umbrella of ITU.

WTSA adopted a Resolution which encapsulates its views on the fundamental attributes of technical standardization functions within ITU, based on the following eight key messages:

• Global standards activities should be within the framework of ITU-T.
• A distinction should be made between technical and regulatory work. The criteria to make the distinction between those two Recommendations should be addressed.
• Very close relations with other standards-setting organizations need to establish to avoid duplication.
• The impact on the work programme of the three sectors of ITU should need to be ascertained.
• A phased approach would need to be adopted to determine what can be implemented in the short term by the WTSA and TSAG and what would require a decision of Council and/or the Plenipotentiary Conference.
• The impact on ITU finances would need to be evaluated.
• The needs of developing countries would have to be considered.
• The importance of close links with the regions would need to be reflected.

The Resolution includes ten fundamental attributes of a global standardization body and twelve key issues to address, taking into account the following principles, namely: openness, transparency, visibility, consensus-based and responsiveness. It also decided that TSAG should actively support the ongoing work of the Working Group on Reform including its Ad Hoc Group on the issue of a new global standardization entity under the umbrella entity.

A very fruitful and stimulating exchange of views characterized the discussions that led to the adoption of the Resolution.

Greater involvement of developing countries in standardization activities

Noting the difficulties encountered by developing countries, and in particular African and least developed contries, in ensuring their effective participation in the work of the Standardization Sector, the Assembly adopted a Resolution requesting close cooperation with the ITU Regional offices and regional organizations including the possibility of holding ITU-T meetings in the regions and assisting developing countries with studies in respect of priority questions such as VoIP, mobile technology or multimedia. It also decided to provide Administrations of developing countries and those of LDCs with free electronic access to standards and publications posted on the Web, pending approval by ITU's annual governing body.

Following the decision of the Minneapolis Conference to establish a new category of participants in ITU work known as Associates, the WTSA adopted the conditions under which Associates can participate in the work of the ITU-T. In essence, interested entities or organizations will now be able to join the Sector as Associates, and be entitled to take part in the work of a selected single Study Group, take part in the process of preparing standards within that group, and have responsibility for directing the studies for the relevant study Question withint the selected Study Group except for liaison activities.

The creation of this new category aims at encouraging greater participation in the work of ITU by smaller companies, institutions and organizations with highly focused areas of activity, to draw on the knowledge and expertise of entities when mutual interests exist.

A total of 193 questions have been allocated to the 14 Study Groups. The following general areas of responsibility were agreed upon to serve as guidance for the development of the post-2000 study questions by each Study Group:

WTSA designated the chairmen and vice-chairmen of Study Groups and of TSAG and agreed to limit to approximately eight years (two mandates) their terms of office.

In adopting the work programme, the WTSA also endorsed a new project - Mediacom 2004 - aimed at creating a framework for the harmonized and coordinated development of multimedia communication standardization for use across all ITU-T and ITU-R Study Groups, and in close cooperation with other regional and international SDOs and industry forums. Mediacom 2004 will also lead e-commerce activities within ITU-T.

Finally, WTSA confirmed the work carried out by Study Group 13 on the Global Information Infrastructure and, in particular, on IP-based networks in order to provide full integration of services and applications to end users and give network providers the tools and information to support the market-driven changes to the telecommunication industry. Study Group 13 is also responsible for the harmonization of IP-related and GII studies across the ITU-T study groups through the evolution and further development of the ITU-T IP and GII projects.

The new study group structure will start on 1 January 2001.

Back to Top