Recognizing WSIS Impacts

PP RESOLUTION 177 (Guadalajara, 2010)

Conformance and interoperability

The Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (Guadalajara, 2010),

• recognizing
  • a) that the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly adopted Resolution 76 (Johannesburg, 2008);
  • b) that the World Telecommunication Development Conference adopted Resolution 47 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010);
  • c) that, at its 2009 session, the ITU Council endorsed the following recommendations of the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) (Document C09/28):
    • 1) implementation of the proposed conformity assessment programme;
    • 2) implementation of the proposed interoperability events programme;
    • 3) implementation of the proposed human resources capacity building;
    • 4) implementation of the proposed recommendations to assist in the establishment of test facilities in developing countries;
    • 5) that the Director of TSB should report to a future Council session on the implementation of recommendations 1) and 2) above, and jointly with the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) on recommendations 3) and 4) above, and on a proposed business plan for the long-term implementation of the programmes;
  • d) the progress reports by the Director of TSB made to the Council at its 2009 and 2010 sessions and to the 2010 plenipotentiary conference,
• resolves
  • 1 to endorse the objectives of both Resolution 76 (Johannesburg, 2008) and Resolution 47 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010), and the recommendations of the Director of TSB endorsed by the Council at its 2009 session;
  • 2 that this programme of work be implemented in parallel without any delay, including the informative pilot conformity database and its development into a fully functioning database; bearing in mind the need for a business plan to be expeditiously developed by the Director of TSB, and approved by the Council, for its long-term implementation, in consultation with each region, taking into consideration a) the outcome and effect that the pilot conformity database may have on Member States, Sector Members and stakeholders (e.g. other standards development organizations (SDOs)), b) the impact the database will have on bridging the standardization gap as relevant to each region, c) the potential liability issues for ITU and for Member States, Sector Members and stakeholders; and taking into account the results of the regional ITU conformity and interoperability consultations;
  • 3 to assist developing countries in establishing regional or subregional conformity and interoperability centres suitable to perform interoperability testing as appropriate,
• instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau,
  • 1 to continue the consultation with all stakeholders in all regions, taking into consideration the needs of each region, on implementation of the recommendations endorsed by the Council, including, in collaboration with the Director of BDT, the recommendations on human capacity building and assistance in the establishment of test facilities in developing countries;
  • 2 to continue to carry out the necessary studies with a view to introducing the use of ITU Mark for a possible future ITU Mark programme, as a voluntary programme permitting manufacturers and service providers to make a visible declaration that their equipment conforms to applicable recommendations of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and increasing the probability of interoperability, and to consider its possible application as an indication of a degree of interoperability capability in the future;
  • 3 to enhance and improve standards-setting processes in order to improve interoperability through conformity;
  • 4 to prepare a business plan for the long-term implementation of this resolution;
  • 5 to provide the Council with progress reports, including the results of studies, relating to the implementation of this resolution,
• instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, in close collaboration with the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau and the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau
  • 1 to advance the implementation of Resolution 47 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010) and to report to the Council;
  • 2 to assist Member States in addressing their concerns with respect to counterfeit equipment,
• invites the Council
  • 1 to consider the reports of the Director of TSB and to take all necessary measures so as to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of this resolution;
  • 2 to report to the next plenipotentiary conference on the progress made with respect to this resolution,
• invites Sector Members
  • 1 to populate the pilot conformity database with details of products tested to applicable ITU-T recommendations in accredited test laboratories (first, second or third party), or by accredited certification bodies, or according to procedures adopted by a standards development organization or forum qualified in accordance with Recommendation ITU-T A.5;
  • 2 to participate in ITU-facilitated interoperability events;
  • 3 to take an active role in building developing countries’ capacity in conformity and interoperability testing, including on-the-job training, particularly as part of any supply contract for telecommunication equipment, services and systems to these countries,
• invites organizations qualified in accordance with Recommendation ITU-T A.5
  • 1 to participate in the ITU pilot conformity database activities and, sharing links on a mutual basis, to enrich its extent by referring to more recommendations and standards within a product, and to allow for more exposure of vendors’ products and widen the portfolio of selection to the users;
  • 2 to participate in developing countries’ capacity-building programmes and activities facilitated by TSB and BDT, in particular offering opportunities for developing-country experts – particularly from operators – to gain on-the-job experience,
• invites Member States
  • 1 to contribute to the implementation of this resolution;
  • 2 to encourage national and regional testing entities to assist ITU in implementing this resolution;
  • 3 to adopt conformity-assessment regimes and procedures based on applicable ITU-T recommendations, leading to better quality of service/quality of experience, and to higher probability of interoperability of equipment, services and systems,
• further invites Member States and Sector Members
  • to bear in mind the legal and regulatory frameworks of other countries concerning equipment that negatively affects the quality of their telecommunication infrastructure, in particular recognizing the concerns of developing countries with respect to counterfeit equipment,
• further invites Member States
  • to contribute to the next radiocommunication assembly in 2012 in order for it to consider and take appropriate actions as deemed necessary.