During the fourth ITU-D study period
(2006-2010) it was noted that the issue of next-generation
networks (NGNs) is relatively new in ITU. Thus, it was felt that
the question has been posed a little bit early and that
migration to NGN in developing countries is still at an early
stage and therefore very limited information is available. It
was decided that a redrafted Question on the subject may be
proposed resulting from the merger between Q.6-2/1 and Q.19-1/2
for the next WTDC-10.
Developing countries suffer from
insufficient access to broadband. This new access mode to the
network paves the way for the generalization of new services and
revenues. It fosters the development and generalization of
packet-based NGN offering convergence of voice, data and video
services.
Of particular importance for
developing countries are human capacity factors (NGN
architectures are viewed as very complex and need more
explanation), economic factors (cost of this new infrastructure
both at access and core is seen as high with respect to the
expected returns), and application development factors (with no
new applications broadband access and NGN take-off will not
materialize). Keeping in view the importance of the subject, the
Question should also focus on access issues and competition as
well as interconnection issues of NGN.
ITU-D can play an important role in
assisting Member States and Sector Members in developing
countries with guidelines for migration to NGN, taking into
consideration that the standardization of core and access
technologies and NGN is embedded as a priority in the strategic
plan of ITU-T.
2 Question for study
2.1
During the monopoly era, regulator and operator were not
distinct and voice telephony was the main telecommunication
service offered. As transition to competition started
gathering momentum in the last decade, technology changes,
the provision of innovative service and the entry of
competitors to the incumbent players led to the
establishment of independent regulators in various
countries. New operators were provided with interconnection
and local access at network bottlenecks under the control of
incumbents. Open competition called for regulators to apply
regulations in order to ensure a level playing field.
Regulators were required to ensure that cost-based,
non-discriminatory access to the incumbent's bottleneck
facilities was available to all competitors.
2.2
Present trends in many countries already indicate the use of
wireless and broadband technologies with handheld devices
allowing multimedia communication from any location by
transmitting volumes of digital voice, video and data
traffic. PCs, workstations and servers are linked to
high-speed virtual networks that span cities, countries and
continents and share gigabits of information. Customers can
receive distinct, tailored, private services that securely
traverse shared public, hybrid networks. Visions of
communication anywhere, anytime, are now becoming a reality.
2.3
Multiservice converged access network architecture employing
optic cable, DSL, broadband, Ethernet, leased lines, frame
relay and wireless and multiservice converged backbone
network architecture (IP, ATM, MPLS, etc.) will now need to
be catered for by regulators as service providers across the
world provide a wide range of services and applications
through next-generation networks (NGNs). This will
increasingly involve a single backbone multiservice network
instead of single-service networks as we migrate towards
NGNs.
2.4 In
existing, conventional networks in most countries,
regulatory control is confined to interconnections and other
bottleneck access and core network issues. These are readily
identifiable, and the consequences are fairly predictable if
competitive activity is left unchecked. In NGNs, however,
points calling for regulatory control will not be easy to
identify as they may reside in any layer of network
hierarchy, i.e. from basic access to services or even
content. It will be excessively difficult to predict the
regulatory impact of the introduction of NGNs.
2.5 NGN
today may divide the historical operators in three types of
operators a) service providers, b) operators for
transmission of packets, and c) operators for management of
NGN system, responsible for the quality of service and for
the accounting issues. The NGN is supposed to provide all
kind of ITC and telecommunication services at any moment and
anywhere at the best possible price. At present, the only
country which started to implement NGN networks on a large
scale is the United Kingdom. NGNs cover both wired and
wireless telecommunications, but it is wide-band. It is
basically using soft switches everywhere.
2.6
Effective study needs sufficient examination of NGN
technologies and insight into deployments of broadband
access and NGN core technologies, what it really does and
what are the principles and methodologies for migration
planning, taking into account in particular existing
networks to evolution of core network into NGN. It also
requires the migration plans of various operators specially
incumbent. In case of NGN, interconnection is required at
transport and service layer. Therefore to understand
regulatory impact of next-generation networks on
interconnection the issues related to network (like change
in number and location of interconnection points, which
services should be regulated overall framework for wholesale
billing, etc.) are to be considered as part of this
question.
2.7
Methodologies for migration planning, taking into account in
particular existing networks to evolution of core network
into NGN.
3 Expected output
In the next ITU-D study period
2010-2014, studies of various issues related to migration from
existing networks to next-generation networks are to be
reported, and among others the description of the technical,
legislative and regulatory framework that would be needed to
implement appropriate interconnection arrangements for new
generation networks. Economic impact to implement these
interconnection arrangements are also to be reported.
4 Timing
4.1
Mid-term report is expected by 2011.
4.2
Final report is expected by 2013.
5 Proposers
There was consensus at the WTDC-10,
held in Hyderabad, that the issue of the migration from existing
networks to next-generation networks is of extreme importance to
all countries, particularly developing countries, and needs to
be continued as a revised Question in the next study period
2010-2014 with a view to highlighting the impact of NGNs on this
issue.
6 Sources of input
The major source of input will be the
experiences of those countries that have introduced competition
and addressed the question of interconnection. Contributions
from Member States and Sector Members will be essential to the
successful study of the issue. Interviews, existing reports and
surveys should also be used to gather data and information for
finalization of a comprehensive set of best practice guidelines
for administering interconnection for NGNs. Material from
regional telecommunication organizations, telecommunication
research centres and manufacturers and working groups should
also be utilized in order to avoid duplication of work. Close
cooperation with ITU-T study groups, in particular SG 13 and the
Global Standards Initiative (GSI) for NGN and other standards
groups involved in NGN activities and other activities within
ITU-D is required and extremely important.
7 Target audience