Recognizing WSIS Impacts

WTSA RESOLUTION 45 (Rev. Dubai, 2012)

Effective coordination of standardization work across study groups in ITU-T and the role of TSAG

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (Dubai, 2012),

• resolves
  • that the coordination of ITU-T activities in regard to high-priority standardization issues and work related to more than one study group should ensure:
  • i) the identification of high-level objectives and priorities for ITU-T studies from a global viewpoint;
  • ii) cooperation between study groups, including the avoidance of duplication of work and the identification of linkages between related work items;
  • iii) the planned coordination of time-frames, deliverables, objectives and milestones for standardization activities;
  • iv) that the interests of developing countries are taken into account and that their involvement in these activities is encouraged and facilitated;
  • v) cooperation and coordination with the ITU Radiocommunication and Telecommunication Development Sectors and with other, external, standardization bodies,
• noting
  • a) that the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is the pre-eminent global standardization body comprising administrations, equipment vendors, operators and regulators;
  • b) that, under Article 17 of the ITU Constitution, ITU-T, bearing in mind the particular concerns of the developing countries 1 shall fulfil the purposes of the Union by studying technical, operating and tariff questions and adopting Recommendations on them with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis;
    • 1 These include the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
  • c) that, under Article 13 of the ITU Convention, the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) is required, inter alia, to approve the programme of work for ITU-T for each study period and to determine the priority, urgency, estimated financial implications and time-scale for the completion of studies,
• considering
  • a) Resolution 122 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, which resolves that WTSA shall adequately address strategic issues in standardization, and encourages Member States, ITU-T Sector Members and study group chairmen and vice-chairmen to concentrate, inter alia, on the identification and analysis of strategic issues in standardization in their preparations for WTSA so as to facilitate the work of the assembly;
  • b) that the interests of developing countries are promoted by ensuring a coordinated approach to standardization where strategic standardization issues are concerned;
  • c) that WTSA has agreed to a new ITU-T study group structure and improvements to ITU-T’s working methods that will assist ITU-T in meeting the standardization challenges of the 2013-2016 study period,
• recognizing
  • a) that effective coordination between study groups is critical to ITU-T’s ability to meet emerging standardization challenges and the needs of its membership;
  • b) that ITU-T study groups are responsible for developing Recommendations on technical, operating and tariff questions on the basis of contributions submitted by the membership;
  • c) that the effective coordination of standardization activities would assist in meeting the objectives of Resolutions 122 and 123 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference;
  • d) that operational coordination can be effected by means of joint coordination activities (JCAs), joint rapporteur group meetings, liaison statements between study groups and the study group chairmen’s meetings organized by the Director of the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau;
  • e) that effective coordination is facilitated by taking a top-down approach to the coordination of work between study groups, including the identification of linkages between related work items;
  • f) that the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) can play an important role in ensuring cross-study group coordination on standardization issues, including the measurement of standardization progress against agreed milestones;
  • g) that it is appropriate for WTSA, as the highest body in ITU-T, to identify strategic standardization issues for each study period,
• bearing in mind
  • that the coordination of standardization activities is particularly important for high-priority standardization issues, including, for example:
  • a) next-generation networks (NGN) evolution and future networks;
  • b) security (including cybersecurity);
  • c) telecommunications for disaster relief systems, including network resilience and recovery;
  • d) Smart grid and home networking;
  • e) Intelligent transport systems (ITS);
  • f) Internet of things (IoT)/machine-to-machine (M2M) communication;
  • g) Cloud computing;
  • h) Internet-related issues;
  • i) Conformance and interoperability testing,
• emphasizing
  • that coordination should serve to improve the effectiveness of ITU-T activities and should not limit the authority of each study group to develop Recommendations based on contributions from the membership,
• instructs the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group
  • 1 to take an active role in ensuring coordination between study groups, particularly on high-priority standardization issues that are being studied in more than one study group, including inviting coordination groups to hold the necessary meetings to achieve the objectives set for them;
  • 2 to take into account, and implement as necessary, advice given to TSAG b y other groups established in the interests of effective coordination on high-priority and joint standardization topics.