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Session on ICT Conformance and Interoperability: challenges for developing countries

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Time and place: Wednesday, 16 October 2019, 09h30 - 17h30 (Room K)

This session on ICT Conformance and Interoperability: challenges for developing countries​​ took place at ITU Headquarters (ITU Montbrillant building, Room K) in Geneva, Switzerl​and on Wednesday, 16 October 2019, from 09:30 to 17:3​0 prior to the ITU-D Study Group 2 Question 4/2 meeting dedicated to “Assistance to developing countries for implementing conformance and interoperability (C&I) programmes and combating counterfeit ICT equipment and theft of mobile devices”.​​

Background information

The second Focus Session organized by the ITU-D Study Group Question 4/2 team aimed to identify and discuss issues relates to ICT equipment Conformity and interoperability (C&I) with focus on the challenges faced by developing countries. The discussions targeted the following topics related to the conformance of ICT products in the Digital Transformation era: ​
  • C&I enabling the SDGs
  • Critical issues/priorities in developing countries
  • Technical requirement and standards
  • Collaboration agreements and harmonized C&I regimes
  • IoT and new technologies 

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[09:30 - 09:35] Opening and setting the scene

Challenges and opportunities: Q4/2 mandate; status of the work; figures; and planned activities 
​​​Mr Cheikh Tidjani Oudaa, Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Mauritania​

[09:35 - 10:45] Session 1: Infrastructure for Conformance and Interoperability

This session focused on the basic infrastructure to achieve quality C&I framework. From standards/technical requirements to legislative and regulatory framework revisions that would be needed to implement appropriate C&I programmes by developing countries. The session covered topics such as minimum technical requirements and standards (RF, safety, EMC, testing), quality systems and virtual infrastructure (e.g. virtual laboratories).​​

Moderator: Mr ​Joseph Onaya​, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Communications Authority (CA), Kenya

Speakers:​​
  • ​​ISO CASCO – standards for conformity assessment ​​[Presentation]
    Mr Laurent Charlet, Conformity Assessment Committee (CASCO), International Organization for Standardization (ISO)​
  • Assessing National Spectrum Management Practices and creating National Table of Frequency Allocation (NTFA) [Presentation]
    Mr Istvan Bozsoki, Development Telecommunication Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
  • ​The relevance of testing [Presentation]
    Mr Victor Vellano Neto, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Telecomunicacoes (CPqD, Brazil)
  • GCF certification - managing Conformance and Interoperability for mobile and IoT products [Presentation]
    ​Mr Chris Hogg, Global Certification Forum (GCF)
    ​
​ [10:45 ​– ​11:00] Coffee/Tea Break​

[11:00 - 12:30] Session 2: New Technologies and IoT

This session ​focused on the issues pertaining to the Conformance assessment of new ICT technologies (e.g. 5G, SDN, NFV) and the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) bringing billions of connected devices to C&I frameworks ​​
 
Moderator: Ms Amel Khiar, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Algérie Télécom (Algeria)
 
Speakers:​​
  • ​​​​​​Ensuring reliable and secure communication in a hyper-connected world [Presentation]
    Mr ​Joerg Koepp, Rohde & Schwarz (Germany)
  • ITU-T SG 11 work updates and activities [Presentation] 
    Mr Kofi Yeboah-Kordieh, National Communications Authority (NCA), Ghana
  • C&I training module for start-ups [Presentation]​
    Mr Jeevan Persad, FaSoVe (Trinidad and Tobago)
[12:30 ​– ​14:30] Lunch Break

[14:30 - 15:45] Session 3: Country and regional experiences on C&I

​This session discussed the country and regional experiences on C&I, best practices and possible mechanisms for collaboration on establishing common C&I programmes and technical cooperation ​
 
Moderator: Mr. Serigne Abdou Lahatt Sylla, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Ministère de l'Economie numérique et des Télécommunications, Senegal
​
Speakers:​​
  • Experiences from Ghana C&I and surve​y on C&I activities in Africa region [Presentation]
    Mr Roland Kudozia, National Communications Authority (NCA), Ghana
  • C&I Activities in the Africa Region [Presentation]
    Ms Chali Tumelo, ITU Area Office for Southern Africa​, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
  • Introduction to the new C&I framework for ICT devices in Brazil [Presentation]
    Mr André Mota de Abreu Iwasa, Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (ANATEL), Brazil
  • Conformance and Interoperability Training Programme (CITP) [Presentation]
    Mr ​​Miguel Alcaine, ITU Area Office for Central America​, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)​
[15:45 ​– ​16:00] Coffee/Tea Break

[16:00 - 17:15] Breakout session

    This session explored further the topics from previous sessions in a "breakout" format (i.e. in small groups). Four sub-groups will discuss the following topics and initial questions:

    1. ICT products enabling the SDGs
    Coordinator: Mr Cheikh Tidjani Oudaa, Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Mauritania​
  • How is C&I essential to secure the digital transformation ?
  • How can C&I help achieving the SDGs ?

    • 2. Conformance and Assessment – new technologies impact
    Coordinator: Mr ​Joseph Onaya​, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Communications Authority (CA), Kenya​
  • What are the trends in ICT products that should be given special attention (e.g. 5G, drones) ?
  • How to avoid negative impacts on the market ?

    • 3. Collaboration on C&I infrastructure (labs, conformance assessment framework, etc.)
    ​Coordinator: Ms Amel Khiar, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Algérie Télécom (Algeria)
  • ​Why and how to promote collaboration on C&I infrastructure sharing ?
  • What would be possible ways to move forward on technical collaboration for ICT products approval ?

    • 4. IoT and C&I
    Coordinator​: ​Mr Serigne Abdou Lahatt Sylla, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Ministère de l'Economie numérique et des Télécommunications, Senegal
  • ​​​​​​​​​How does IoT adoption impact on C&I ?
  • What would be the ways forward ?

[17:15 - 17:30] Conclusion - Outcomes: Q4/2 contribution to C&I


​​Mr Cheikh Tidjani Oudaa, Rapporteur for Question 4/2, Mauritania​​

Useful references

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