Executive summary of the SG13 meeting

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​SG13: Future networks and emerging network technologies 

Executive summary of the SG13 meeting
4 - 15 March 2024, Geneva, Switzerland

This SG13 meeting was called up by the Collective-letter 7/13 (of 6 December 2023).

The opening remarks were delivered by the TSB Director, Mr Seizo Onoe, at the interim SG13 plenary. Director, in particular, said that “every SG13 meeting in this study period has received more contributions than the last. This meeting has received 259 – the highest number of contributions since 2008".

This SG13 meeting attracted 338 delegates (231 remote only and 107 present in person), considered 704 documents split as 259 contributions and 445 TDs. List of contributions may be found in TD202/PLEN.

TSB MyMeetings platform for remote participation was used to support each session at this Study Group meeting resulting in 242 sessions in total. ​

Main meeting results
15 outputs were determined/consented/agreed: A total of 12 new Recommendations, one Amendment were consented, one Supplement was agreed and one new Recommendation was determined.

Recommendation determined (Resolution 1 - TAP)

TSB Circular 200 (dated 26 March 2024) initiates the formal consultation with ITU Member States on consideration for Y.2776 approval at the SG13 July meeting.

                                                       Recommendations consented for Last Call (Recommendation A.8 - AAP)

Supplement agreed to (Recommendation A.13)

Important decisions (apart of Recommendations/Deliverables)

Human Assets
The meeting agreed to nominate
 - Ms Yuexia Fu (China Mobile) as Associate Rapporteur for Q20/13
 - Mr Abhay Shanker Verma (India) as Associate Rapporteur for Q5/13
 - Mr Mohammed K. Mustafa (Nigerian Communications Commission) as Associate Rapporteur for Q5/13
 - Ms Buse Bilgin (Turkcell) as co-convener of the CG-AINN (former CG-AI6G) to replace Mr Vishnu Ram Ov (India) who has resigned.
    Mr Leon Wong (Rakuten Mobile, Japan) remains the other co-convener.

Issues left from the October - November 2023 SG13 meeting 

Proposal for a new Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Future Networks (FG-AIFN)
The October – November 2023 SG13 meeting established the correspondence group (CG-AI6G) to look in-depth into the objectives and carefully crafted terms of reference for the new focus group on artificial intelligence in IMT-2030 (FG-AI6G) in order for the SG13 to be ready taking a balanced decision on establishment of the new FG at its next meeting. CG-AI6G reported the outcomes of its activities in TD211/PLEN and presented the supporting material in TD279/GEN along with the proposed Terms of Reference for the new FG-AIFN in TD212/PLEN. Title of the group, focus of its work and terms of references were carefully elaborated and aligned to the new group objectives.

In addition, contributions C745 and C920-R1 from Ministry of Communications (India), Fraunhofer HHI (Germany), Rakuten Mobile (Japan), Zambia, Turkcell, du (UAE), University of Glasgow proposes each the creation of the new Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Future Networks (FG-AIFN) with almost identical terms of reference in each input.

The meeting reviewed all the documents at hand and, after hearing different opinions about the new FG set up, decided to entrust to the ad-hoc group to address remaining concerns before creating the new FG at this meeting. The ad-hoc was tasked, in particular, to look if the FG should be set up at this meeting or CG may be authorized to continue its activities. Mr Gyu Myoung Lee (Republic of Korea) was appointed to lead the ad-hoc on Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Future Networks (FG-AIFN)/Correspondence Group continuation deliberations (ad-hoc FG/CG).

Ad-hoc on FG-AIFN/continuation of CG-AI6G (ad-hoc FG/CG)
Established by the interim SG13 plenary ad-hoc on FG/CG performed its duties in two sessions (12 and 13 March 2024) and reported the results in TDs PLEN 224 and 223-R1. Ad-hoc agreed to propose to the plenary to continue the correspondence group till the end of 2024 to
 - clarify the ToR of the proposed FG and
 - create additional supporting materials for the proposed Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Telecommunication Networks
    (FG-AINN).

The updated ToR for the CG may be found in TD223-R1/PLEN. In addition, the name of the correspondence group was proposed to be changed to “Correspondence Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Telecommunication Networks (CG-AINN)".
SG13 agreed to continue until the end of July 2024 the work of the CG (now called CG-AINN) with updated ToR as in TD223-R1/PLEN, and new name “Correspondence Group on Artificial Intelligence Native for Telecommunication Networks (CG-AINN)".
Ms Buse Bilgin (Turkcell) was nominated as co-convener of the CG-AINN to replace Mr Vishnu Ram Ov (India) who has stepped down from leading the group. Mr Leon Wong (Rakuten Mobile, Japan) remains the other co-convener.

CG is to report to the July 2024 SG13 meeting.

Proposal for the new Regional Group for Indian Ocean Rim countries
The contribution C919-R1 from India brought the proposal for establishing the new SG13 Regional Group for Indian Ocean Rim countries. TD217/PLEN complements this proposal with the actual list of countries-Members of the future regional group (RG).

The meeting spent quite some time on this matter and final proposal for the terms of reference for the new RG may be found in TD307/GEN. While the idea of the new regional group was supported by Sri Lanka, a Member State from the list of potential members of this new group, other delegations expressed different views and concerns, in particular, on the composition of the group and possible overlap with activities already in place.

Finally, the meeting agreed to dispatch the Liaison Statement to the regional telecommunication organizations operating in the region concerned and, allowing more time to the Members to consider the proposal, to defer the decision on creation of the new Regional Group for Indian Ocean Rim countries to the next SG13 meeting (July 2024). Communication to APT, ATU, CEPT and LAS, as agreed by the meeting, may be found in TD248/PLEN, feedback is welcome before the next SG13 meeting.

Focus Group on Autonomous Networks (FG-AN) closure
FG-AN reported its activities through the length of its life in TD210/PLEN.
FG provided for the SG13 pursue one technical specification and three technical reports at this meeting. Those are “Knowledge Management for Autonomous Networks" in TD660/WP1, “Gap analysis for Autonomous Networks" in TD661/WP1, “Glossary of terms and definitions for Autonomous Networks in TD662/WP1, and report with Proofs-of-Concept in TD663/WP1.
The activities of the FG-AN came to the end, it succeeded in accomplishing its tasks and deliverables, its mandate was exhausted. SG13 noted the FG-AN final report TD210/PLEN and closed the FG-AN. SG13 chair of behalf of all participants thanked the FG-AN management team, active contributors and all the participants.
Furthermore, the SG13 agreed on establishment of three new work items in the work programme of Q20/13 based on the Deliverables of the FG-AN (TD240/PLEN, Annexes III, VIII and IX).
In addition, the closing plenary gave consent to the draft new Recommendation ITU-T Y.3062 “Trustworthiness Evaluation for IMT-2020 and Beyond with Autonomous Network Functions" (see table above) that is largely based on the output of the FG-AN brought to SG13 back in November 2022.

WTSA-24 preparations
Preparations for WTSA-24 were performed by the activities of the Ad-hoc on next study period (NSP Ad-hoc) led by SG13 Vice-chair, Mr Hyung-Soo (Hans) Kim (Republic of Korea). Ad-hoc had its sessions on 5, 7 and 12 March 2024 during this SG13 meeting. Report may be found in TD304-R1/GEN. Contributions were received for the texts of Qs 2, 5, 20 and 23/13. In addition, the SG13 chair issued TD285/GEN with advice on elaborating the Questions titles.
Qs 2, 5, 20 and 23/13 texts were reviewed, based on the submitted material, and agreed at the NSP meeting (TD486/WP3, TD524/WP3, TD756/WP1 and TD673R2/WP1 respectively). It was also agreed that Q16/13 will be split into two: one on trust and one on quantum enhanced networks. The texts for these two will be submitted to the next NSP ad-hoc meeting, where the discussions will continue. Parts of Resolution 2 with the SG13 mandate (area of responsibility, lead study group roles and points of guidance for the next study period) were agreed as captured in TD283/GEN. New Question for coordination, TD282-R1/GEN, and new Question on Future networks: User-centric networking towards emerging web era, C858-R1, will be discussed at the future meetings.​​

Collaboration

Status of O-RAN Alliance qualification per criterions of Recommendation ITU-T A.5
In November 2023, based on the proposal from India (C622-R1) to qualify O-RAN Alliance per criterions of Recommendation ITU-T A.5, SG13 agreed to request secretariat (TSB) to prepare the analysis of the O-RAN Alliance status per the requirements of Recommendation ITU-T A.5. Such analysis had been performed by the responsible persons at ITU side and was nearing its completion. Its current status was presented to the meeting in TD216/PLEN and invoked live discussion. After addressing all the questions for clarification and thorough review, noting the absence of active work items that need immediate referencing of the O-RAN Alliance specifications and taking into account an unusual practice to qualify an entity with anticipation of future need for referencing, the meeting felt premature at this stage to take a decision on qualification. 

Use of the term IMT-2030
SG11 in TD252/GEN “LS/i on request for clarification on terms related to IMT-2020 and IMT-2030 for future study of ITU-T SG11 in the next study period [from ITU-T SG11]" requested the clarification on the use of the term IMT-2030 in ITU-T. The SG13 chair collected the information on the background of this issue in TD213/PLEN and on the current use of IMT-related terminology in WTSA Resolution 2 in TD219-R1/PLEN. The meeting agreed to send out the Liaison Statements (TD219-R1/PLEN, TD220-R1/PLEN) with guidance on use of IMT-related terms: taking from ITU-R RA Resolution 56-3 it is advised to use IMT-2030 rather than 6G in ITU documents.

Network softwarization standardization roadmap
Addressing the communication from SG11 in TD273/GEN “LS/i on initiation of new work item ITU-T Supplement to Q.3700-series - Q.sup.netsoft-roadmap "Network softwarization standardization roadmap", a reply liaison statement was agreed as depicted in TD222/PLEN. It mainly points out that the new Supplement with Network Softwarization Standardization Roadmap, initiated by the SG11, should be focused on the issues within the mandate of SG11 per WTSA Resolution 2.

Bridging Standardization Gap (BSG)
SG13RG-AFR will convene its regular (annual) meeting on 25 April 2024 in a virtual format. It will be a one-day activity. Then SG13RG-AFR will meet physically in the 4^th quarter of 2024 after the WTSA-24. Hosts are welcome.

The meeting plans for SG13RG-EECAT were not activated yet.

A renewed BSG training programme was offered by TSB to the SG13 delegates on 6 March 2024. Session was opened to every SG13 participant.

Progress reports

​Correspondence Group on datasets

ITU-T Correspondence Group for datasets applicable for AI/ML in networks (CG-datasets) reported progress to date in TD218/PLEN. Group had eleven conference calls to date plus three small groups meetings on a specific issue each in the period from November 2023 to March 2024. It is elaborating the report required per its terms of references (technical report on standardization approach for datasets).

In addition, CG proposed the half-day workshop “At the crossroads of Standards and Research: AI/ML datasets for future networks" to be held in association with the next SG13 meting (July 2024, Geneva). The modalities and tentative structure of the workshop programme were elaborated and presented to the SG13.

The SG13 meeting noted the report in TD218/PLEN by CG co-convener, Mr Marco Carugi (Huawei Technologies, China) and agreed to convene the workshop on datasets standardization on 16 July. See clause “Workshop" below for more details.​

JCA-ML
The chair of the JCA-ML, Mr Kangchan Lee (ETRI, Republic of Korea), reported the progress of his group by presenting TD214/PLEN.

The JCA-ML held its fourth meeting alongside SG17 meeting on 23 February 2024 in Geneva. It advanced the work on the roadmap based on the inputs received and reviewed the current status of the glossary of terms project and the next steps:
 - Machine learning standardization roadmap (Editor: Mr Sungpil Shin, ETRI, Republic of Korea) and
 - Glossary of terms and definitions for machine learning (Editor: Mr Hongki Cha, ETRI Republic of Korea)

In addition, presentation of current standardization efforts in ITU-T Study Group 17 on security activities related to AI/ML, courtesy of Mr Junhyung Park (acting SG17 representative to JCA-ML), was given to the meeting attendees.

The 4^th meeting touched base on the JCA-ML lifetime extension beyond 2024 and reached a consensus to continue the JCA-ML operation beyond 2024. A formal request for the extension of JCA-ML lifetime will be submitted to the SG13 meeting in July 2024.

The next JCA-ML meeting will take place on 19 July 2024 in Geneva alongside the SG13 meeting.

The progress report by JCA-ML (TD214/PLEN) was well noted by the meeting.

Ad-hoc activities

Web3 Ad-hoc
The ad-hoc “Future ICT Evolution for emerging Web Era" (Web3 Ad-hoc) met alongside this SG13 meeting on 8 March 2024. Group considered two contributions towards progressing the Technical Report on Trustworthy Data Infrastructure for Web 3.0 and one contribution with the proposal for the new Question “Future networks: User-centric networking for emerging web era". Meeting report as well as the current version of the above-mentioned technical report, enhanced with the material from two contributions, are available on the ad-hoc's iFA area. Regarding the disposition of the new Question, it was felt appropriate to come back to this discussion after identifying motivations and key work items, derived from the technical report on network enhancement for supporting emerging Web technologies (another anticipated output of this ad-hoc group).

Ad-hoc FG/CG outcomes are reported above in the clause about the discussion on a new FG-AIFN set up.

Coordination activities

New work items coordination
Since March 2023 SG13 has been practicing the new work items coordination sessions, the approach to assess the proposals for the new work in their entirety. In March SG13 had three sessions (5, 6 and 7 March 2024) for exchanging the opinions on the new work proposed for starting at this meeting. As custom these sessions were run by the SG13 Vice-chair, Mr Scott Mansfield (Ericsson Canada). The report may be found in TD292/GEN.

JCA-IMT2020
The regular JCA-IMT2020 meeting took place in Geneva on 5 March 2024 alongside this SG13 meeting. As custom, it agreed on a big number of new Recommendations and technical specifications to be included into its ongoing project IMT-2020 and beyond roadmap. The next JCA-IMT2020 meeting will take place on 22 July 2024 in Geneva alongside the SG13 meeting.

FG-MV Deliverables
Further to the communication from TSAG in TD209/PLEN “LS/i on metaverse [from TSAG]" the meeting assessed the situation with the accomplished FG-MV Deliverables, listed in the table in TD209/PLEN. It was noted that only two deliverables were addressed (as part of co-designated groups) to SG13. Given the specific nature of these two deliverables and informational nature of the communication from TSAG at this stage, it was felt premature for starting work on these Deliverables in SG13 at this meeting.

Work programme updates

New Work
Contributions brought 50 proposals to initiate the new work, out of which 42 were drafted in the form of a new Recommendation (22), revised Recommendation (4), Supplement (5), revised Supplement (1), technical report (10), and three kept in the Qs 2/13 and 17/13 living lists.
So, in total this meeting agreed to the initiation of 42 new and revised work items (TD240/PLEN, TD242/PLEN, TD244-R1/PLEN annexes).

Discontinued work items
As no inputs submitted for the last few SG meetings for Y.STR and the work was reorganized for Y.QKDN-SSNreq, Y.QKDN-SSNarch, there three work items (all from Q16/13) were removed from the SG13 work programme.

Outreach

Information session
A regular newcomer session presentation was delivered by the SG13 Mentor, Mr Alojz Hudobivnik (WP1/13 Vice-chair), on 4 March 2024. It attracted 5 live and 3 remote participants. Presented material is available from TD288/GEN.

Questionnaire
Given a rather limited number of responses to the last SG13 questionnaire "Requirements and Framework for the exploitation of Big Data/Artificial Intelligence technologies in developing countries" (in support of the work in Q5/13), received before the deadline of 2 February 2024, it was agreed to extend the deadline for replies until 1 July 2024. Questionnaire remains available from the SG13 landing page. All the details may be found in TSB Circular 159. 

Workshop
The meeting agreed to the proposal from CG-dataset to convene half-day workshop “At the crossroads of Standards and Research: AI/ML datasets for future networks" alongside the next SG13 meeting. Workshop will take place in the morning of 16 July 2024 in Geneva. Mr Marco Carugi, Mr Vishnu Ram Ov (CG-datasets conveners) supported by Mr Antonio De Domenic (Huawei Technologies, China) committed themselves to serve as workshop programme and organisation committer members. Volunteers are welcome to join this team.

Roadmaps
SG13 plans
 - the next revision of the Supplement 59 (to Y.3100-series) on IMT-2020 and beyond standardization roadmap to be ready for
   agreement at July 2024 meeting. First version was published as Supplement 59 to Y.3100-series in 2020, then revised in 2022 and 2023.

and continues its work on

 - Supplement with the standardization roadmap on trustworthy networking and services, TD410/WP3, target for 3Q 2024.

With regards to the Network Softwarization Standardization Roadmap, initiated by the SG11 (TD273/GEN), SG13 provided its comment in TD222/PLEN.

Innovations
An information sharing session about key technical mainstream/achievements/hot issues of each SG13 Question was trailed for the first time. The goal was to improve overall delivery by the SG of comprehensive set of standards. Session took place on 4 March, presented materials may be found in TD305/GEN.

The renewed BSG training with the interactive exercise was offered on 6 March 2024 to all SG13 delegates (including representatives of developing countries).

During the discussions delegates proposed to conditionally approve the FG at the next SG13 meeting.

SG13 plenary sessions were supported by captioning.

Real-time webcast services were practiced at opening, interim and closing plenaries.

Future plans
An important number of interim meetings was agreed to (TD246-R1/PLEN). This includes the joint e-meetings with SG2 on relationship of CPN[1] exposure and NGNe exposure with AITOM (Q2/13) and on Y.CNAO and AITOM (Q20/13).

11^th SG13RG-AFR meeting will be held virtually on 25 April 2024.
The fifth JCA-ML meeting will take place alongside the next SG13 meeting on 19 July 2024 in Geneva.
The 19^th JCA-IMT2020 meeting will take place alongside the SG13 meeting too, on 22 July 2024 in Geneva.
Web3 Ad-hoc, NSP ad-hoc and correspondence groups (on datasets and on FG-AINN set up) will continue their activities to pursue their terms of reference.

Next SG13 meeting is planned take place on 15 – 26 July 2024 in Geneva. Tentative determination/consent/agreement plan may be found in TD306/GEN.​

[1] CPN – Computing Power Network
     NGNe- Next Generation Network evolution
     ​AITOM – AI-enhanced telecommunications operation and management