ITU – CITEL PCC.I Seminar on “Bridging the Standardization Divide”

Telecommunication standardization continues to evolve and grow in importance as a result of the challenge of interconnecting increasing numbers of operators providing multiple services using a variety of technologies over competing networks, using equipment from a proliferation of equipment manufacturers. Recently, the emergence of new technologies and technological convergence among Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have created major standardization challenges for all stakeholders, particularly in areas such as Next Generation Networks (NGN), multimedia, Voice over IP (VoIP) and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV).

On the other hand, insufficient technical and financial resources limit developing countries’ abilities to play an effective role in the design and implementation of telecommunications standards and thus constrain their access to some markets. Many developing countries, particularly the poorest ones, lack the technological capabilities and financial resources to participate effectively in the development of product standards.  To promote the participation from developing countries, WTSA-04 adopted Resolution 44 that aims to bridge the standardization gap between developed and developing countries.

To address WTSA-04 Resolution 44, the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) and the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union jointly with the Permanent Consultative Committee I – PCC.I of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission - CITEL – in close collaboration with Secretaria de Comunicaciones del Ministerio de Planificación Federal, Inversión Pública y Servicios y Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones de la República Argentina are organizing a Seminar on bridging the standardization gap between developed and developing countries.

The Seminar, that will take place on 24 September 2007 in Mendoza, Argentina, is open to participation of all interested parties in addition to ITU Member States, Sector Members and Associates. This event, addressed to manufacturers, operators, service providers, regulators and administrations, will provide a panorama on recent technologies and technological convergence in ICT that have created major standardization challenges for all stakeholders such as NGN, multimedia, VoIP, IPTV, security and regulatory issues.

The Seminar will highlight opportunities and tools to enhance cooperation and participation in standardization activities and, moreover, to facilitate standards implementation in developing countries of the Americas

The overall objectives of the seminar are to develop guidelines and propose initiatives to encourage the participation in standardization activities and the adoption of international standards that support interoperability, interworking and Quality of Service. These guidelines and initiatives would respond to the needs of the end users and the common approaches that all of the stakeholders could take in order to increase awareness of international standardization benefits in the public administrations, private sector and universities.

Oscar Avellaneda
Coordinator of the event for PCC.I/CITEL
Chair Working Group on Technology