ITU Standards Build the Global Information Infrastructure

Geneva, 20 October 1997 — The ITU has created a new Series of Recommendations specifically dedicated to standardization of technologies that will underpin the new Global Information Infrastructure.

While many countries are already beginning to implement their own strategies to put in place new high-speed information infrastructures, there remains a need for a global approach which will foster worldwide compatibility between new technologies. The ITU, with its 188 government members and around 450 members from private industry, represents a global forum where Members can develop standards that reflect the needs of a broad cross section of the infocommunications industry, from operators and governments to service providers and consumers.

ITU-T Series Y Recommendations, as these new standards will be called, are the result of a meeting of Study Group 13 of the ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector, held in Toronto, Canada from 8-19 September.The first three Draft Recommendations agreed at the meeting that will now be proposed for formal approval are:

Y.100, which gives a general descriptive overview of the GII;

Y.110, which describes the basic principles and concepts for the GII architecture;

Y.120, which describes methodologies and scenarios which may be used for developing the GII,
The creation of the new Series, and the three draft Recommendations, are the first practical results of the GII Project which has been established under the leadership of Study Group 13 of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). The project was established with the aim of responding quickly to market requirements for standards on which to base the new kinds of equipment which will form the basis of the new global infrastructure.

Mr Brian Moore, Chairman of Study Group 13, said the development of standards for the GII is being carried out under project-based approach new to the ITU. "This new approach nominates a lead Study Group for the project and involves close cooperation between a number of different ITU Study Groups as well as external organizations such as ISO and regional standards-making bodies. It is proving a very successful way of dealing with the creation of complex new systems such as the GII, and could form the basis of much of the future standards development work of the Union."

More draft Recommendations in the new Y Series are expected soon, including a Recommendation on terms and definitions which should be used in the context of the GII.

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