ITU-T Standardization and other key ITU Activities
La Havana, Cuba, 8-9 February 2011
Bridging The Standardization Gap
(BSG)
Paolo Rosa
ITU
Outline
 Defining the standardization
gap
 Measuring and evaluating the gap
 ITU-T bridging the gap
Digital Divide
Standardization Gap &
Participation Relationship
Digital Divide
Standardization Gap &
Poor Access to Technologies
≈ ------------------------------------------Increase Participation &
Capacity Building
Standardisation and Standards
 Standardisation  Key building block for building
a globally connected society
 Importance of standards
 Foster innovation
 Competition
 Enable interoperability
 "Global standards create a positive user
experience. They help to satisfy consumers'
expectations that technology products will
work together easily. “ – Justin Rattner, Intel
4
The Standardization Gap
 It is defined as disparities in the ability of
developing countries, relative to developed ones,
to access, implement, contribute to and influence
international ICT standards, specifically ITU‐T
Recommendations.
 The standardization development gap is itself
both a cause and a manifestation of the wider
digital divide
 It contributes to the persistence of the wider
digital divide.
5
The concept of Opportunity Index to measure
the information society
Infodensity
ICT capital [telecommunication network
infrastructures (fixed, mobile, internet)
and of ICT, including equipment (cables,
routers, etc),
Info-use
Three indicators:
•
•
•
Internet users every 100 inhabitants
PC owners every 100 inhabitants
Houses and TV sets proportion
Framework for BSG
 PP-10 Resolution 123
Recognizing “the continued shortage of human resources
in the standardization field of developing countries,
resulting in a low level of developing country
participation in ITU-T and ITU-R meetings …”
 Resolution 44 (WTSA-08): Action Plan
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Strengthening standards-making capabilities
Assisting ITU-D in enhancing application of standards
Human resource building
Flagship groups for bridging the gap
BSG Fund
 Resolution 47 (WTDC-10)
Enhancement of knowledge and effective application of
ITU Recommendations in developing countries, increase
capacity building opportunities for interoperability
7
ITU-T Mandate to Bridging
the Gap
 PP-06 (Res. 123), WTSA-04/08 Resolutions 44, 17, 54,
59, 74
 ITU-T mandated to bridge the standardization gap
between developing and developed countries
 Mandated actions include:
 Improve standards making capabilities
 Assisting in enhancing efforts in standards
applications
 Human resource building
 Establish a flagship group for bridging the gap
 BSG fundraising
How can countries bridge the gap?
 Bridging the standardization development
gap requires a sequence of steps,
depending on the level of:
 economic development
Entering proposals at WTSA
on future study questions
and work programmes
Nominating representatives
as study group chairs, vice
chairs. rapporteurs , focus
group chairs etc
Giving contributions at
Study Groups and
related meetings
 local manufacturing capability
 local R&D capability
 previous engagement with ITU
 These steps can be conceptualized in terms
of a “Ladder of Standardization
Development”
Attracting ITU meetings
and/or regional groups
(Res 54)
Going to Study
Groups and related
meetings
ITU Sector or Associate
Membership
National training and
capacity -building in use of
ITU Recommendations
9
Growing usage of ITU
Recommendations
How can countries bridge the gap?
 8 - Entering proposals at WTSA on future study
questions and work programmes
 7 - Nominating representatives as SG chairs,
vicechairs, Rapporteurs, focus group chairs, etc
 6 - Giving contributions at SGs and related meetings
 5 - Attracting ITU meetings and/or regional groups
 4 - Going to SGs and related meetings
 3 - ITU Sector Membership and Associate status
 2 - National training and capacity-building in use of ITU
Recommendations
 1 - Growing usage of ITU-T Recommendations
10
Where are you positioned ?
Commitment
SG,
TSAG
Chairs
SG/TSAG
VChair
WP Ch
HIGH
WTSA
Mgmt &
Contributions
Rapp
MEDIUM
Editor
SG/TSAG
Contr
LOW
Read
Recs
SG, GSI
Particip
WS, FG
Particip
Recs
Implem
Strategic role
Outline
 Defining the standardization gap
 Measuring and evaluating the
gap
 ITU-T bridging the gap
ITU-T Research : Measuring and
Reducing the Gap
 Assess the standards development capability of
developing countries
 Supported by a grant from Korea Communications
Commission.
 Survey questionnaire sent to all developing countries
 Case Studies done for 9 nine countries
 Report published in December 2009.
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/gap/Pages/default.aspx
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ITU-T Research : Measuring and
Reducing the Gap
 Standards Development Capability
 Government Standards Policy
 Standardisation Human Resources
 National Standards Use and Adoption
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National Standards Capability Scale
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Measuring the Gap - 2
 Possible criteria:
 Number of downloads of ITU-T
Recommendations from website
 Number of TIES* users
 Number of Sector Members and
Associates
 Number of Study Group Chairmen and
Rapporteurs from developing countries
 Number of participants in meetings and
their contributions by country
 Questionnaires to Membership
* TIES: Telecommunication Information Exchange Service: set of networked
information resources and services offered by ITU to its Members
TIES Accounts
ITU-T meetings data
Study groups officials
Contributions submitted SGs
Membership and
Participants in ITU-T meetings
Outline
 Defining the standardization gap
 Measuring and evaluating the gap
 ITU-T bridging the gap
ITU-T Activities to Bridge the Gap
 Improve standards making capabilities
 Assist in enhancing efforts in standards
applications
 Human resource building
 Establish regional groups for bridging the gap
 Set up BSG Fund
Improve Standards Making Capabilities
 Research on measuring and reducing the gap
 Free access to ITU-T Standards
 Increase remote participation and collaboration
 Admission of Sector Members and Associates
from developing countries
 Increase number of officials from developing
countries in ITU-T Study Groups
 Increase SG meetings in the regions
 Implement Res. 76/47 on capacity building and
creation of test labs in the regions
New Membership Category for Academia
and Sector members from developing
countries (Res. 71 and Res. 74)
 PP-10 endorsed recommendation to introduce new
membership categories for academia and reduced
fee for companies from LDCs.
 Academia and research institutions
 Developed Countries : CHF 3,975
 Developing Countries : CHF 1,987
 LDCs Sector Members
CHF 3,975
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Assist in enhancing applications of
standards
 Publication of Manuals on applications of
ITU-T Recommendations
 E.g Fibre Optic Manual, ITU-T Security Manual.
 Workshops on Standardisation
 2 BSG workshops were held in Fiji in September 2009
and another in Cyberjaya, Malaysia in June 2010, to
provide best practices and guidance on improving
national standards readiness.
 3 BSG workshops planned in 2011.
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Human Resource Building
 Capacity Building
 ITU-T Recommendations
• Better understanding of the ITU-T Recommendations, how
to design and implement projects choosing the most
appropriate equipment according to the state-of-the art.
• ITU-T Tutorial on Optical Fibre Cables and Systems Based
on the handbook of SG15
• Tutors leading experts from industry contributing to write
handbooks and standards
 Simulated Study Group Meetings
 Fellowships provided to representatives of
developing countries
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Regional presence
 ITU-T Workshop on "Delivering Good Quality Telecommunication
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Service in a Safe Environment in Africa"
Nairobi, Kenya, 26-27 July 2010
3 Regional ITU Consultations on Conformance Assessment and
Interoperability for the Americas , Africa and Asia Pacific Regions
(Quito, Nairobi, Sydney)
ITU-T Workshop on Bridging the Standardization Gap and Interactive
Training Session
Cyberjaya, Sleangor, Malaysia, 29 June - 01 July 2010
ITU-T Workshop “ICTs: Building the green city of the future”
Shanghai, China, 14 May 2010
ITU-T Study Group 5 Buenos Aires, Argentina 12-16 April 2010
ITU-T Study Groups 11 and 13 and IPTV-GSI Mar del Plata, Argentina
2-12 September 2009
ITU Symposium on ICTs and Climate Change and Forum on
"Implementation of decisions of the World Telecommunication
Standardization Assembly
(WTSA-08) “ Quito, Ecuador, 7-10 July 2009
Tutorial on Optical Fiber systems – Kigali, Rwanda Sept 2010
India, Egypt, Sri Lanka, USA, Italy, China, Malaysia, ….
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2010 Events worldwide
Africa.
17%
Asia &
Pacific.
39%
Europe.
4%
America
. 17%
Geneva.
30%
Africa
29%
Fig.1 - Geographical repartition of
Events
Asia &
Pacific
24%
America
9%
Geneva
35%
Europe
4%
Fig.2 - Geographical repartition of
Days
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Increase participation and
collaboration (1/3)
 Workshops, seminars and other events
 Regional Groups and meetings
 SG2 Group for Arab Region (Operational aspects)
 SG3 Groups for Asia and Oceania, Africa, Europe
and Mediterranean, Latin America and Caribbean
(Tariff and accounting principles)
 SG12 for Africa (Performance, QoS, QoE)
 Block Meetings
 Flagship Groups
 Promote remote collaboration and
participation
Increase participation and
collaboration (2/3)
 Cooperation with regional
organizations: CITEL, RCC, APT,
ASTAP, ATU, LAS,…
 One meeting per year per region
 Topics decided by the Membership,
corresponding to any ITU-T Study Group
 Official status as generator of contributions
to parent Study Groups
 TSB provides secretarial support, EDH
facilities as any other SG meeting
Increase participation and
collaboration (3/3)
 Flagship Group Americas (WTSA-08 Res. 44,
Annex, Programme 4)
 Create permanent regional standards awareness
 Offer training on standardization, produce and
provide training materials, manuals, audio/video
material
 Translate ITU-T material
 Support remote or direct participation of experts
in ITU-T activities
 Creation of regional Testing & Calibration labs
 Invite regulators to put in place mechanisms to
consider international standards when preparing
national technical regulations
Regional Groups
(WTSA-08 Res. 54)
 Regional Groups and meetings
 SG2 Group for Arab Region
 SG3 Groups for Asia and Oceania, Africa,
Europe and Mediterranean, Latin America
and Caribbean (Tariff and accounting
principles)
 SG12 for Africa (Performance, QoS)
ITU-T Activities to Bridging
the Gap
 Increase visibility, information, awareness,
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participation and collaboration
Admission of Sector Members and Associates
from developing countries
Increase number of officials in ITU-T Study
Groups
Increase SG meetings in the regions
Create regional groups
Implement Res. 76 on capacity building and
creation of test labs in the regions
Workshops: New work, new
blood, new friends
Joint ITU and IETF
workshop on NGN, 2005
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Outreach to non ITU audience
Can result in new work

Partnerships: IETF, IEEE, OASIS,
Grid Forum, ISO, IEC
2005-8 of 78 workshops 18 in
PASC area.
Remote participation now possible
Future more workshops North
America and Europe
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eg Identity Management
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BSG Fund
 BSG Fund set up in 2008
 Objective
 Facilitate the participation of developing countries in
the 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
 CHF 288,000
 Korea Communications Commission, Nokia
Siemens Networks, Microsoft, Cisco
Conclusions
 Bridging the Standardization Gap requires
efforts from ITU and its Membership
Increase the use of ITU-T
Recommendations, membership and
participation of developing countries
Capacity building on standardisation
Increase participation in Study Groups,
workshops, meetings and number of
contributions
Resolutions and Resources
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ITU-T Research Project: Measuring and Reducing the Standards
Gap (December 2009)
Bridging the Standardization Gap Activity Report (June 2010)
Summary of Questionnaire on Bridging the Standardization Gap (June 2008)
WTSA-08 Resolution 44: Bridging the standardization gap between
developing and developed countries
WTSA-08 Resolution 17: Telecommunication standardization in relation to
the interests of developing countries
WTSA-08 Resolution 59: Enhancing participation of telecommunication
operators from developing countries
Report on the outcome of the Global Standards Symposium (GSS) (October
2008; requires TIES account)
PP-06 Resolution 123: Bridging the standardization gap between developing
and developed countries
TSAG 07/08 TD 610 Rev.1: Bridging the Standardization Gap (requires TIES
account)
TSAG 02/07 TD 417: Draft Report of the Group on Bridging the
Standardization Gap (requires TIES account)
Thank you