QUOCDN
30-03-2006, 22:18
Convergence issues, including technical and policy relationships between the converging networks
Technological innovations are beginning to link traditional telephony technologies with advanced IP based networks. This technological convergence raises technical and policy questions for ITU members. Examples of such new technology capabilities include ENUM and IP Telephony/Voice over IP (VoIP).
5.1 National sovereignty and international interoperability
It is axiomatic that nations are sovereign, that is, that they have the right to implement whatever national policies, laws, rules, and regulations they see fit, within the framework of agreed international law and international treaties.
It is equally axiomatic that international interoperability is an essential feature of telecommunications, and that such international interoperability can be achieved only if national operators conform to agreed international standards, including internationally agreed numbering, naming and addressing schemes.
While international standards are not binding, they are typically followed in order to achieve appropriate international interoperability.
5.2 Technological neutrality of policies
As noted earlier, national approaches to the regulation (or not) of IP based networks and IP based technologies vary widely. While some Member States have signalled a move towards a more technology-neutral approach to the regulation of communication services, this is not the case with all Member States. Indeed, the issues involved are complex. What is meant by technology-neutral regulatory frameworks are frameworks in which regulations that apply to a particular service (such as voice transmission) apply uniformly no matter what technology is used to implement the service.
For information on trends in this respect, see:
• http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/conreg/index.html
5.3 InteroperabilityInteroperability of IP based networks and IP based applications requires compliance with a large number of standards, developed and published by a wide range of organizations, of which the most important are (in alphabetical order) IETF, ITU and W3C.
For further information, see:
• www.ietf.org
• www.itu.int
• www.w3c.org
A description of ITU's work with respect to IP based networks can be found at:
• http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ip/index.phtml
5.4 ENUM
The ENUM protocol maps in one direction parts or all of the ITU-T Recommendation E.164 international public telecommunication numbering plan into the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). At first glance a simple protocol, ENUM nevertheless raises a number of regulatory and policy issues.
Technological innovations are beginning to link traditional telephony technologies with advanced IP based networks. This technological convergence raises technical and policy questions for ITU members. Examples of such new technology capabilities include ENUM and IP Telephony/Voice over IP (VoIP).
5.1 National sovereignty and international interoperability
It is axiomatic that nations are sovereign, that is, that they have the right to implement whatever national policies, laws, rules, and regulations they see fit, within the framework of agreed international law and international treaties.
It is equally axiomatic that international interoperability is an essential feature of telecommunications, and that such international interoperability can be achieved only if national operators conform to agreed international standards, including internationally agreed numbering, naming and addressing schemes.
While international standards are not binding, they are typically followed in order to achieve appropriate international interoperability.
5.2 Technological neutrality of policies
As noted earlier, national approaches to the regulation (or not) of IP based networks and IP based technologies vary widely. While some Member States have signalled a move towards a more technology-neutral approach to the regulation of communication services, this is not the case with all Member States. Indeed, the issues involved are complex. What is meant by technology-neutral regulatory frameworks are frameworks in which regulations that apply to a particular service (such as voice transmission) apply uniformly no matter what technology is used to implement the service.
For information on trends in this respect, see:
• http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/worksem/conreg/index.html
5.3 InteroperabilityInteroperability of IP based networks and IP based applications requires compliance with a large number of standards, developed and published by a wide range of organizations, of which the most important are (in alphabetical order) IETF, ITU and W3C.
For further information, see:
• www.ietf.org
• www.itu.int
• www.w3c.org
A description of ITU's work with respect to IP based networks can be found at:
• http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ip/index.phtml
5.4 ENUM
The ENUM protocol maps in one direction parts or all of the ITU-T Recommendation E.164 international public telecommunication numbering plan into the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). At first glance a simple protocol, ENUM nevertheless raises a number of regulatory and policy issues.