Bridging the
Standardization Gap
Support your CSR goals, contribute to the BSG fund
to empower developing country ICT capacity and
adoption of international ICT standards
“International standards avoid costly market battles over preferred
technologies. For companies from emerging markets, they create a level
playing field, which provides access to world markets. They are an essential
aid to developing countries in building their infrastructure and encouraging
economic development. Through economies of scale they can reduce costs
for all: manufacturers, operators and consumers.”
Malcolm Johnson, Director
Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
The standardization gap is the difference between the ability of
developing countries, relative to developed ones, to access, implement,
contribute to and influence international ICT standards, specifically ITU
Recommendations.
Being part of the standardization process ensures that developing country
needs are taken into account in the development of new technologies, and
that ultimately they can profit from them as much as the rest of the world.
The goal of ITU’s Bridging the Standardization Gap (BSG) programme is to:
• facilitate the participation of developing countries in the ICT
standards development process;
allow
developing countries to profit from access to new
•
technology development;
ensure
that the requirements of developing countries
•
are taken into account in the development of standards.
ITU-T’s BSG activities are carried out at the request of members via
Resolution 44 of the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly
(WTSA).
Given budgetary limitations, ITU’s BSG programme is primarily funded by
voluntary contributions to the BSG fund.
The BSG fund has supported the production of:
– a Security Manual
– handbooks/technical reports on:
 Migration scenarios from legacy to Next-Generation Networks in
developing countries
 Applications of wireless sensor networks in Next-Generation
Networks
 QoS for mobile networks
 Access Networks
 Future Networks
 Mobility Management in ITU-T: Its current development and next
steps heading towards Future Networks
 Multi-connection/Multi (M-RATs) Radio Access Technologies in
NGN: Bridging Next-Generation Networks with Mobile Future
Networks with simultaneous connectivity
 Accessible Digital Television – From Idea to Reality
 Impacts of MTC and Non-MTC Mobile Data Applications on Mobile
Networks
 Production of Overvoltage Protection
– a two-week in-depth tutorial on fibre optics in Rwanda.
The BSG fund has also supported the funding of speakers’ participation
and fellowships for participants from developing countries to attend ITU
workshops.
Future projects include:
– the development of e-learning courses on:
 ITU-T working methods
 how to participate in the standardization process at ITU
 implementation of technical standards (ITU-T Recommendations)
 relationship between intellectual property rights, ICT innovations
and standards
– studies on the role of innovation management and innovation
stimulation programmes to bridge the standardization gap between
the developed and developing countries
– technical assistance to developing countries towards the
establishment of national standardization secretariats in developing
countries to coordinate participation in ITU-T standardization activities
and adoption of ITU-T Recommendations.
Contact bsg@itu.int to find out more.