The ITU-T activities for Conformity Assessment and

Interoperability

Paolo Rosa Head, Workshops and Promotion Division Workshops and Promotion DivisionTelecommunication Telecommunication Standardization Standardization BureauBureau

Regional ITU Consultation on Conformance Assessment and

Interoperability (Sydney, Australia, 16-17 September 2010)

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

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• Founded in 1865, oldest specialized agency of the UN• Standards making as one of the ITU’s first activities• HQ Geneva, 11 regional offices, 760 staff / 80 nationalities• Named as one of the world’s ten most enduring institutions by Booz Allen• Five elected officials:• ITU-T Product: Recommendations (= “standards”) Freely available to

the public• Work (mostly) done in Study Groups (10 of them) + Regional and Focus

Groups• Unique partnership of private sector (Sector Members) &

government (Member States)– Truly global– Consensus decisions

• Very flexible• Fast and transparent procedures• Brand name• Common Patent Policy ITU-T/ITU-R/ISO/IEC

Introduction to ITU & ITU-T

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ITU-T Member State Participation

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Region A - The Americas (216)

Region B - Western Europe (178)

Region C - Eastern Europe and Northern Asia (73)

Region D - Africa (182)

Region E - Asia and Australasia (460)

Member States: 191 governments

Sector Members: 565 private sectorMembership fee: 31,800 CHF (~= 29k USD)

Associates: 154 private sector(one Study Group only)Membership fee: 10,600 CHF (~= 9.6k USD)

Today, 95% of the work in ITU-T is done by the private sector

AB

CD

E

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Strategic Objectives

1. Develop and publish timely global standards2. Promote conformance to ITU-T Recommendations and maintaining an online

“conformity DB”3. Enhance interoperability by organizing events to prove interoperability of

different vendors equipment4. Identify relevant areas for future standardization projects by involving

academia5. Provide the most attractive forum for standardization in the interest of the

membership6. Promote value of ITU-T to increase membership7. Disseminate information and know-how and create awareness8. Cooperate and collaborate with other Sectors and other regional and

international entities9. Provide support and assistance to the membership, in particular from

developing countries

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6

ITU-T Working Structure

WTSA World TelecommunicationStandardization Assembly

Study GroupStudy Group SGSG

Workshops,Seminars,

Symposia…

IPR ad hoc

Working Party

Questions: Develop

Recommendations

SGSG

WP WP WP

Q Q

Q Q

Focus Groups

JCAOther SDOs

Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group

Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group

Kaleidoscope

TSB=Secretariat

• Climate change• Conformity and Interoperability• Cybersecurity• Accessibility• Smart grids – Next Generation Electrricity• Intelligent Transport systems• Tech watch• Kaleidoscope and Academia• NGN migration• Multimedia Serrvices• Optical networks

Hot Topics in ITU-T

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

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What happens everyday• Lack of performance and of compliance to

conformity and interoperability requirements

• Market invaded by counterfeit products

• Legacy, regulatory, contractual and legal issues

• Developing Countries linked to one vendor only– poor market competition– lack of technology neutrality

Some Problems

1) How many Bluetooth™ earpieces are you ready to buy before you find the good one for your mobile?

2) your service provider changes its equipment, are you happy to discover that your just bought “super-wireless-ADSL2+ modem-router” is not compatible?

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Effects of lack C&IImpact on ITU:– Erosion of the perceived importance of ITU as the place of

choice to develop the full range of interoperable standards.

Reactions from Developing Countries– Complains due to:

• lack of conformance and poor quality of products• counterfeit equipment and lack of legal framework

– a plea for ITU to help and to assist in achieving the requested level of conformity to standards and interoperability among vendors

– Request to assist in capacity building and test centres.

ITU commitment– WTSA-08 Resolution 76 approved. ITU-T to take actions as

successfully done by other SDOs & Forums on C&I issues

– WTDC-10 Resolution 47. ITU-T to support and complement the Res.76 from the ITU development sector point of view

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WTSA-08 Resolution 76Johannesburg, October 2008

“Studies related to conformance and interoperability testing, assistance to developing countries, and a possible future ITU mark programme”

Res.76: instructs the Director of TSB

• identify and prioritize the problems of developing countries

• study the overall effect on ITU and manufacturers, legal, national and international regulatory implications, cost of set up and location of testing facilities, measures to build the necessary human resource capacities

• Conduct studies with the view to introduce the voluntary use of ITU Mark permitting manufacturers and service providers to make a visible declaration of conformity to ITU-T standards of products and to study the relevant financial and legal implications for the ITU-T and ICT industries

• to submit the result of these studies to Council-09 for its consideration and required actions

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Conclusions on Res. 76

• Res. 76: meets the needs of Developing Countries for conformance and interoperability aspects

• Conformity is a first step to increase the probability of interoperability

between different equipment, manufacturers, vendors, service providers

• Identification of Labs able to carry out tests according to the ITU-T Recommendations requirements and training programs

• Voluntary based ITU conformity programme as a demonstration of conformance to ITU-T Recs and possible creation of an ITU-Mark: the “ITU inside” concept.

• The increased business opportunities and benefits to both suppliers and customers, positive industry response

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The TSB Programme

• Conformity assessment: – The first step to interop, – Testing: certification / SDOs-Forums recognized labs– Creation ITU conformity database

• ITU as facilitator for interop events to: – identify the interoperability problems– develop Interoperability test suites as needed

• Use of Current international procedures (ISO/IEC 17025, 17050, ISO Guidelines 65 - CASCO toolbox)

• Conduct feasibility studies in developing countries for capacity building and labs

• Develop a long-term business plan

TSB Director’s Recommendations

endorsed by the Council-09

• Implement conformance assessment and interoperability events programme, including the creation of a conformance database leaving the ITU mark for further consideration

• Creation of human resources capacity building opportunities

• Assist establishment of test facilities in developing countries

• Report to next Council on the effective implementation of the above.

TSB Programme Benefits

– Industry: increased business opportunities (MRA: market expansion, time to market, reduced test

costs no TBT issues)

–End users: increased QoS & interoperability legacy to existing infrastructure, savings, confidence

–Developing countries: capacity building opportunities, regional and sub-regional type testing laboratories, bridging standardization Gap and digital divide, promotion of a conformity testing culture

Resolution 47 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010)

Enhancement of knowledge and effective application of ITU Recommendations in

developing countries, including conformance and interoperability testing of systems

manufactured on the basis of ITU Recommendations

WTDC-10 Resolution 47

instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau to:

1 encourage the participation of developing countries in training courses and workshops organized by ITU-D on best practices in the application of ITU‑R and ITU‑T Recommendations;

2 assist developing countries in building their capacity, in collaboration with ITU-T, so as to be able to perform conformance testing of equipment and systems;

3 assist the Director of TSB, and in collaboration with the Director of BR, and as appropriate, with equipment and systems manufacturers, internationally and regionally recognized standards development organizations, in conducting conformance assessment and interoperability testing events, preferably in the developing countries, and encouraging developing countries to attend these events; and

WTDC-10 Resolution 47

In collaboration with TSB

First Step:• Issue a Questionnaire on the “status quo”

in the region, needs for testing, human, technical and instrumental available resources

• Preparation of ToR for implementation of Res. 47 & Res. 76.

Second Step:Define the framework of the field study on the economic feasibility of and need for creating regional laboratories and to report to Council on results;

Third StepIdentify partners for conducting the Field Study and Training Activities Region by Region.

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Regional “robust” Consultation Meetings 2010

• Quito, Ecuador, 6 July 2010

• Nairobi, Kenya, 30-31 July 2010

• BDT event - 2-4 August 2010 Nairobi, Kenya on NGN and creation of test labs in Africa

• Sydney, Australia,16-17 September 2010

• http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/wtsa-08/res76/index.html#events

•2011: BDT actions concentrated to the Arab, African and CIS regions (BDT Programme 1)

•building test facilities: technologies, training, accreditation, infrastructure

•Presented the ITTC testing experience: European operators services conformance testing, conformance testing for IP/MPLS, key features for SIP protocol conformance testing ETSI interoperability testing, key factors for NGN, SIP and MEGACO protocols for testing

•Approach of Service Conformance and QoS Testing: Internal NGN functional Blocks testing (RACF)

BDT Workshop: NGN Conformity and Interoperability Testing Centre(s)

Nairobi, Kenya, 2-4 august 2010

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Concerns

• The database presents both legal and associated financial liability risks for the ITU and the ICT industry

• A step-by-step approach should be taken in order to take into account the concerns of the membership as ITU moves forward in implementing the action lines adopted by Council 2009

• The use of accredited test labs is time consuming and expensive, delaying users’ access to technology and slowing global trade

• TSB should first prepare a business plan to establish the real costs, potential liabilities and measurable benefits to society before launching the ITU-T Conformity Database

• Test centres in developing countries, according to one contributor, would lead to confusion in the market place

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Support• Interoperability as Mission for ITU (Res. 71 – Strategic Plan)

• Res. 76: intended to assist DCs and manufacturers should contribute to its implementation

• Consultations presented case studies on problems

• The conformance database would be exceedingly useful for operators and end users for whom equipment are manufactured. Good experience in this field is proven by existing DBs from other SDOs

• Confidence of users in the kind of equipment they buy is more important than how quickly they appear on the market

• ITU-T Study Groups will study Recommendations also in view of conformance assessment and interoperability testing as relevant

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

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Ability of a product to meet the requirement(s) of a standard

A first step to increase the

probability of interoperability

ITU Programme intended to create a conformity mentality and to make visible products conform to ITU-T

Recommendations

Conformity

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ITU Conformity Pilot Database

• Voluntary and free-of-charge tool permitting manufacturers and service providers to make a visible declaration that their equipment conform to ITU-T Recommendations when duly tested.

• Information.

• Users advised that – the DB contains only information entered directly by vendors, and– the ITU is not in a position to verify the accuracy of the information

received: Vendor’s Declaration of responsibility

• The Pilot Database may provide information on applicable normative references by other standards organizations complying with Recommendation ITU-T A.5.

Shown Conformance Databases produced by other SDOs aimed at:

- reduce time-to-market, - reduce testing costs also thanks to Mutual

Recognition Agreements and/or Arrangement (tested once tested

everywhere), - increase competition,

- increase confidence of end users to products,

- be a window available to vendors to show conform products.

Concerning the effectiveness of Databases: the others do

Route 1

Route 2

Con

form

ity A

ssessm

en

t / C

ertifi

catio

n

Imp

lem

en

tatio

n o

f the IT

U

Con

form

ity P

rog

ram

me

ITU-T Recs & test suites

Supplier’s conformity

routedecision

Test lab (Certification

Body / Rec.A.5 SDO/Forum lab)

accredited lab(ISO/IEC 17025)

ITU Conformity Database

Test results(ITU-T X.290)

1st partyEvaluation

Supplier’s ConformityDeclaration

(ISO/IEC 17050)

Test results(ITU-T X.290)

Route 2 AAccredited

(ISO/IEC Guide 65) Certification Body

Evaluation

ConformityCertificate issued by

CertificationBody

ITU

C&

I serv

ices

Supplier’s Request to ITU

Route 2 BProduct successfully

tested in a lab recognized by

any Rec. ITU-T A.5 SDO / Forum

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

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Interoperability

Ability of two or more systems or applications or network management products and services from different

suppliers to exchange information and to mutually / fruitfully make use of it

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TSB facilitator and co-organizer, calendar of interoperability events & partnership with relevant SDOs/forums/consortia

Possible hot topics:

IPTV G.9960 (Home Networking); HomeGrid Forum VDSL; Broadband Forum GPON (Gigabit-capable Passive Optical Network) G.hn (home grids / networks)

Interested Companies SDOs, Forums, Consortia to contact TSB (interop@itu.int).

TSB interoperability initiatives

www.itu.int/interop

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IPTV Interop event

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Next ITU Interop events

• Singapore – IPTV – September 2010

• Geneva – G.hn ??? – November 2010

• India – IPTV – December 2010

Interested Companies SDOs, Forums, Consortia to contact TSB (interop@itu.int).

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

36

Assistance to DCs: Capacity Building and Regional Test Centres

• The ITU-T Secretariat (TSB) is implementing proposals on human capacity building in close collaboration with the ITU-D Secretariat (BDT) (WTDC Res. 47), needed to:

• The ITU-T will assist in the establishment of test facilities in developing countries and in cooperation with international institutions is planned (UNIDO, International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation - ILAC, International Accreditation Forum - IAF,…)

• Visits to various Labs are in progress in the regions

• A project to create a test center in Tanzania is in progress

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Capacity building and test centers

• The ITU-T Secretariat (TSB) is implementing proposals on human capacity building in close collaboration with the ITU-D Secretariat (BDT) (WTDC Res. 47), needed to:

• The ITU-T will assist in the establishment of test facilities in developing countries and in cooperation with international institutions is planned (UNIDO, International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation - ILAC, International Accreditation Forum - IAF,…)

• Visits to various Labs are in progress in the regions

• A project to create a test center in Tanzania is in progress

• Training on Optical Fiber Network design – Rwanda Sept 2010

The Global Conformity and Interoperability ITU Portal

• Information on the meaning of Conformity and Interoperability

• Search functions in databases from ITU and from other SDOs/ Forums on a reciprocal collaboration basis

• Links to C&I-related international organizations e.g. ILAC, IAF, NABs, Labs (Where are is the lab for my products?), SDOs

• Repository/link for global MRAs for C&I

• Information on ITU and other SDOs Interop events worldwide

• Contributions on best practices for certification, interop organization, MRAs

• Link to civil society and consumers associations

• ….?????

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The contents

1. Introduction to ITU&ITU-T2. WTSA-08 Res. 76, WTDC-10 Res. 47,

Councils 09 and 10 highlights 3. Conformity4. Interoperability5. Assistance to Developing Countries6. Conclusions

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What we said• Resolutions 76(ITU-T) and 47(ITU-D) : the replies to the

needs of Developing Countries about conformity and interoperability

• Conformity one of the tools able to increase probability of interoperability

• Created the voluntary based and free pilot conformity database

• ITU-T interop events successfully started

• TSB and BDT committed to implement Res. 76 and Res. 47

• Capacity Building activities and creation of test centers started

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Useful links• ITU-T Conformity and Interoperability

www.itu.int/C&I

• ITU-T Conformity : www.itu.int/conformity

• ITU-T Interoperability : www.itu.int/interop

• ITU-T Workshops and Seminars www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/index.html

• ITU-T News www.itu.int/net/ITU-T/info/news.aspx

Thank you

ADDITIONAL SLIDES

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ICTs Matter

• ICTs (excluding radio sector) as an estimated 2-3% of global Greenhouse Gas emissions

• Around 0.9 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq)

• Telecoms contributed around one quarter of this total

• Airplanes and shipping about 3% each

Source: Gartner Group

Estimated distribution of global CO2 emissions from ICTs

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Universal charger• Approved ITU-T Rec. L.1000

“Universal power adapter and charger solution for mobile terminals and other ICT devices”

• Delivers 50% reduction in standby energy consumption, eliminates 51,000 ton of redundant chargers, and cuts GHG emissions by 13.6 million ton CO2 annually

• Current version covers charger for mobile terminals but will cover other ICT devices in future

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Accessibility• Champions principles Universal

Design enshrined in the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• Includes accessibility features in all standards

• Strong advocacy focus• Group to coordinate activities on

accessibility • ITU led Dynamic Coalition on the

Internet and Accessibility at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

• Proposed new Focus Group on Interoperability of Accessibility protocols

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Next generation electricity

Chief Technology Officer Group highlighted Smart Grid as a priority area

Focus Group on Smart Grid will Identify impacts on standards

development Investigate ITU-T study items Familiarize ITU-T with emerging

attributes of smart grid Encourage collaboration between

ITU-T membership and utilities

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Intelligent Transport Systems

• New work:– Wideband

communication in cars

– Vehicle gateway protocol

ITU, ISO and IEC and Geneva Motor Show Annual Event

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Safety in the cyber world

• Identity management• Security standards for:

– NGN– IPTV– Home networks,– Ubiquitous sensor

networks– Mobiles

• Traceback• Countering spam

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Technology Watch: Scouting for future technologies …

• Recent paper/reports:– Remote collaboration tools – Ubiquitous Sensor Networks – ICTs and Climate Change – Telepresence – High-performance video-conferencing – Intelligent Transport Systems – Lawful interception (LI)– Next-Generation Networks (NGNs) and energy

efficiency– Mobile applications– Batteries for portable ICT devices

• Upcoming: ICTs and food security, network robotics, telebiometrics

• New Briefing Reports published in ITU News

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Involving future engineers• 1st Kaleidoscope event 2008:

– 140 contributions from academic institutions from around the world

• 2nd Kaleidoscope event:

– Innovations for Digital Inclusion

– September 2009, Mar del Plata, Argentina

• Best papers proposed as new work

• Published by IEEE

• Sponsorship opportunities

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Kaleidoscope 2010• Pune, India, 13-15 December 2010• Exhibition by local universities• Best paper awards $10,000• Proceedings IEEE Xplore

online library• New this year:

– Standards Corner (tutorial) – Jules Verne’s Corner – (SciFi writers and dreamers)

• Additional info: itu-kaleidoscope.org/2010• Associated events: Focus Group on Future

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