​​​​​​​​​ITU-T Study Group 2 - Operational aspects of service provision and telecommunications management​

​This page refers to a previous study period. For its most recent version, please see her​e.

Study Group 2 is home to the numbering standard ITU-T Recommendation, E.164, which has played a key role in shaping the telecom networks of today. E.164 provides the structure and functionality for telephone numbers, and without it we would not be able to communicate internationally. In recent years SG2 has worked on ENUM, an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) protocol for entering E.164 numbers into the Internet domain name system (DNS).

A less well-known, but equally as important product of SG2 is E.212 which describes a system to identify mobile devices as they move from network to network. International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) is a critical part of the modern mobile telecoms system allowing a roaming mobile terminal to be identified in another network and subsequently for querying of the home network for subscription and billing information to take place.
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Study Group 2 has also taken over work formerly done in Study Group 4, and is thus responsible for standards for the management of telecom services, networks, and equipment. Telecom management systems are a crucial part of the business processes at the heart of any service providers' operation. Standards focus on fault, configuration, accounting, performance and security management (FCAPS) interfaces. FCAPS interfaces sit between network elements and management systems and also between two management systems.

As service offerings and networks become more complicated, so the need for a more business-oriented framework has developed, one that includes applications such as customer care, service fulfilment, service assurance, and charging and billing in support of element, network, service, and business management.

The importance of efficient interoperable management solutions to service providers and network operators has increased dramatically in the past few years. This is because the management systems at the heart of these solutions play a critical role in reducing service providers' operating costs. Standards aim to help integrate solutions quickly, simply and cost-effectively into the operating environment.

SG 2 is also home to a group made-up of network operators. The service and network operations group (SNOg) aims to make sure that the operations staff - often at the frontline of any telecommunication service provider - needs are taken into account in the development of standards.

Work highlights

With work on next generation networks (NGN) spanning all ITU-T study groups, SG2 is expected to play a key role in the defining the operational aspects of interworking between traditional – circuit-switched – telecommunication networks and evolving – NGN or packet-switched networks.

Also in SG 2 much work is done on standards in support of telecommunications for disaster relief. The ITU-T Rec. E.106, International Emergency Preference Scheme for disaster relief operations (IEPS). The prioritization of calls in a disaster situation means that in an emergency, telecoms networks can be effectively cleared of non-urgent calls.

Study Group 2 also works closely with partner standards developing organizations, forums, and consortia on the harmonization of telecommunications management specifications and aims to determine if consensus can be reached on converging the independently developed solutions, and progressing them to international standards (ITU-T Recommendations).

Study Group 2 Flyer(s):

​ Numbering, Naming and Addressing​