November 15, 2004,Vol. 15, No. 16 ISSN 1349-7987

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-04), an assembly of ITU's Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T), was held during October 5 through 14, 2004, in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
WTSAs, to be held every four years, are an important meeting to decide the direction of standardization activities at ITU-T.  WTSA-04 agreed upon the SG (Study Group) structure and allocation of Questions, including efforts that the standardization of the Next Generation Network (NGN) should be promoted on a full scale during the next study period (2005-2008), and then appointed chairs and vice-chairs of study groups, etc. to proceed with concrete standardization activities for the next study period.
Some 480 delegates from 75 countries participated in WTSA-04, including Mr. KITO, Director-General for Technology Policy Coordination, MIC, and 40 persons from Japan.

[Main highlights]
1. Establishment of a study group (SG) to deal with Next-Generation Networks
With respect to standardization of the IP-based Next Generation Networks (NGN) which would replace the existing telephone networks, WTSA-04 agreed that the standardization of NGN should be promoted as a high-priority topic for the next study period.  Asian countries and the U.S., etc. pursued an initiative against E.U. countries as to establishing a scheme for the NGN standardization.  Finally, under the leadership of Japan, WTSA-04 agreed that a new study group on NGN should be created for positively promoting standardization activities in collaboration with relevant SGs.
Thereby a scheme for the standardization on NGN, which would become key infrastructures for realizing a ubiquitous network society, was established.
To this end, Japan will input results of related R&D projects of Japan into NGN standardization activities, promote collaboration among Japan, China and Korea, and thereby lead the standardization activities on NGN at ITU-T.
The agreement on NGN is as follows:

i) The creation of a new Study Group on NGN (NGN-SG: SG 13)
ii) Since the NGN standardization needs to be developed in a comprehensivemanner by many relevant SGs including Study Group 11 (Signaling requirementsandprotocols), Study Group 19 (Mobile telecommunications networks), etc.,NGN-SG shall implement coordination and schedule management of all NGN-relatedactivities that will take place in other study groups.
iii) Such strengthened NGN standardization activities will swiftlyand effectively respond to needs of industries related to NGN standards. In addition, this scheme will be reviewed within two years.

2. Strengthening of efforts to addresshome networks and security
From the viewpoint of actively promoting further standardization activitieson home networks (intelligent home appliances) and security, it was agreedthat more detailed and concrete Questions (study topics) shall be set forthand collaborations with relevant SGs shall be strengthened.
In particular, with regard to the home network field, from the viewpointof interconnection with networks of intelligent home appliances, it wasagreed that full-scale standardization activities on technologies necessaryfor realizing interconnection, such as transmission methods, quality assuranceand gateway control functions, should be commenced.  At SG 16, Mr.NAITO of Japan was elected as a vice-chairman from a Japanese consumerelectronics manufacturer.
In this field, Japan has been leading standardization activities atITU.  MIC will, upon collaboration with private entities, continuepromoting standardization activities in this field.

3. Promotion of strategic coordination on standardization
Since standardization activities on NGN, home networks, security, etc.should be dealt with through concerted efforts of many SGs at ITU-T, itwill become even more vital to strategically coordinate common goals andschedule management among SGs.  To this end, a Resolution callingfor strengthening strategic coordination among SGs, jointly proposed byJapan and Member States of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), was adoptedunanimously.

4. Strengthening of efforts to address theInternet, including countermeasures against SPAM (unsolicited e-mails)
In order to strengthen efforts of ITU to counter SPAM, which occupiesa considerable ratio of e-mail traffic at present and has become a seriousproblem for users of the Internet, the Assembly adopted the following Resolutions:

i) Specific follow-up actions for international collaborativeinitiatives shall be undertaken for countering SPAM.  Member Statesshall take steps within their national legal frameworks to ensure thatappropriate and effective measures are taken to combat SPAM.
ii) ITU-T study groups shall work with the Internet Engineering TaskForce (IETF) and others to develop technical recommendations aimed at counteringSPAM

5. Selection of chairs and vice-chairs of SGsfor the next study period
As promoters of standardization activities at SGs for the next four-yearstudy period, all candidates from Japan, the following two chairs (onefor the study period (2001-2004)) and eight vice-chairs (six for the study period (2001-2004)), were appointed.  Accordingly, Japan, togetherwith the U.S. which has nine chairs and vice-chairs, is sure to lead ITU-Tactivities.
 

Study Group	Responsibilities	Title	Name (organization)	Note
Study Group 3	Tariff and accounting principles, telecommunication economicand policy issues	Vice-chair	TSUGAWA Seiichi (KDDI)	Newly selected
Study Group 4	Telecommunication Management	Vice-chair	FUJII Nobuo (NTT)	Selected for a second term
Study Group 9	Integrated broadband cable networks and television andsound transmission	Vice-chair	MATSUMOTO Shuichi (KDDI)	Selected for a second term
Study Group 11	Signalling requirements and protocols	Chair	HIRAMATSU Yukio (NTT)	Selected for a second term
Study Group 13	Next-Generation Networks -- architecture, evolution andconvergence	Vice-chair	MORITA Naotaka (NTT)	Newly selected
Study Group 15	Optical and other Transport NetworkInfrastructures	Chair	MAEDA Yoichi (NTT)	Newly selected
Study Group 16	Multimedia Terminals, Systems and Applications	Vice-chair	NAITO Yushi (Mitsubishi Electric)	Newly selected
Study Group 17	Security, Languages and Telecommunications Software	Vice-chair	WATANABE Yu (KDDI)	Newly selected
Study Group 19	Mobile Telecommunications Networks	Vice-chair	TAMURA Motoshi (NTT DoCoMo)	Newly selected
TSAG	Strategies and Work Methods for ITU-T	Vice-chair	OKAMURA Haruo (SCAT)	Newly selected

[Reference]
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
ITU, one of the United Nations organizations, is an international organizationconcerning telecommunications.  ITU has three Sectors, the RadiocommunicationSector, the Standardization Sector and the Development Sector, for implementingstandardization of telecommunications technologies and development assistance.

The ITU-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T)
ITU-T is developing internationally-agreed-upon technical and operatingstandards (ITU-T Recommendations) and defining tariff, accounting principlesand numbering plans for international telecommunication services. To date, by developing international standards on many important technologies,such as facsimiles, TV telephones, optical fibers and ADSL, ITU-T has beenhelping foster the seamless interconnection of the world's communicationsnetworks and systems.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
IETF is a private-sector standardization organization for establishingstandards for the Internet.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
WSIS is a summit meeting of heads of states, as organized by the UnitedNations for establishing and realizing the Common Vision on the InformationSociety.

I.    Purposes of implementation
1. To correctly grasp changes in the state of market competitionalong with the evolution of IP/broadband introduction.
In the current telecommunications business field, new telecommunicationscarrier entries are providing many diversified services, by combining theirown networks and access networks of NTT East/West, etc., resulting in theadvent of various new services and business models.  Along with theevolution of IP/broadband introduction, users are becoming increasinglyincognizant of classifications, both in differences of data formats, suchas voice, data or image, or transmission lines, whether they be wire orwireless.  Thus, structures for providing services and relationshipsbetween telecommunications carriers have been extremely changing.
However, the degree of development in competition among telecommunicationscarriers under such changing circumstances varies according to types ofservices and service areas.  Unless analyzing according to each marketthe state of competition for different services through market definitions,no state of competition would be understood correctly.

2. Shared recognition of the state of competition, transparency andforeseeability in policy are improved.
By establishing broader consensus on data, etc. to be used for analysisand analysis methods, analyzing the state of competition as facts basedon those data, etc. and analysis methods, and making results thereof public,stakeholders will be able to share acknowledgement on the state of competitionamong them.
Decision making itself in policy is not a role of competition review. However, transparency and foreseeability in policy would be improved bysharing information among stakeholders through ensuring opportunities toexpress opinions, discussions and disproof thereon public.

3. To ensure international harmonization on policies
Efforts to analyze the state of competition based upon specified criteriaand methods have been in progress in other countries.  For instance,the Oftel of the U.K. introduced the "effective competition review" --ahead of other countries.  Other E.U. Member States are now employingsuch analysis methods.  Since the telecommunications field is global,such efforts to establish methods for internationally consistent analysiswill lead to international understanding and harmonization among countries.

II.    Basic stance

1. Make use for the purpose of policy making not only staticsituations but also dynamic trends, obtained through regular monitoringof demand-supply structures for services, correlation among carriers, behaviorsof carriers, etc.  Information obtained through daily administrativework is indispensable for accurately analyzing and evaluating the stateof competition based on objective information.  Where telecommunicationscarriers voluntarily take part in analysis thereof themselves, it willbecome possible to grasp the state of competition more accurately. In addition to trends in the past, perspectives in the near future wouldfacilitate discussions on regulatory frameworks in the future.
2. Results of competition review shall be transparent and easy-to-understandfor Japanese nationals.  Thus, MIC will disclose collected informationand analysis methods beforehand in a clear-cut manner; and release documentsthereon in advance of implementation of competition review for each fiscalyear.
 The Details of Implementation are to clarify procedures for implementingthe competition review in each fiscal year in line with the bird's eyeview of competition review illustrated in the Basic Approach.  Specifically,the Details of Implementation specify i) objective segments for each fiscalyear, ii) procedures for inviting public comments, etc., iii) informationcollection from the service supplier side (carriers), iv) information collectionfrom the demand side (users), v) definitions of service markets, vi) definitionsof geographical markets, and vii) implementation schedules.
3. Work on competition review is consisting of three phases, namely"Decision of objectives for analysis," "Definition of market" and "Analysis/evaluationof the state of competition."  The flowchart concerning implementationthereof is indicated in the following figure:

III. Objectives to be analyzed in FY2004

1. The state of competition analyzed and evaluated in FY2003were market segments of "Internet connectivity" and "Intra-company network." Since both market segments are vigorous and rapidly changing, as exemplifiedby advents of new services, those segments are, in principle, to be continuouslyanalyzed and evaluated in FY2004.
2. In FY2004, the market segment of "Mobile communications" is to beanalyzed and evaluated anew.  Cellular telephone terminals are usednot only for conventional voice telephony but also for music downloading,TV units, e-money transaction/settlement, etc., in addition to e-mails,web browser, image capture/transmission.  Furthermore, hybrid terminalscombining functions for cellular telephone and public wireless LAN arebeing placed on the market.
3. Cellular telephone market analysis is led by the U.K.  OtherEU Member States are also addressing the market segment as part of the"competition review."  MIC will proceed with analysis and evaluation/assessmenton the segment, referring to analysis methods and results thereof in theE.U.
4. An "IP telephony service" is being provided as an inseparable serviceof Internet access services mainly on broadband platforms.  The IPtelephony service has been introduced, for example, as an extension servicefor corporate users.  Since converged services with cellular telephoneswould affect not only terminals but also network configurations, MIC iswatching the future relationship among the three services of broadband,cellular telephone and IP telephony.

IV.    Implementation schedule

1. Procedures for inviting public comments on the Basic Approachand the Details for Implementation
MIC invited public comments on the revised Basic Approach (draft) andthe FY2004 Details for Implementation (draft) during September 6 throughOctober 1, 2004, and subsequently fixed the Basic Approach and the FY2004Details for Implementation paying due respect to opinions, etc. contributed.
2. Implementation of a questionnaire survey
A questionnaire survey for individual users as part of informationcollection from the demand side (user side) was conducted during Septemberthrough October 2004.
3. Request for information from telecommunications carriers
After setting forth the Details for Implementation, MIC carried outthe first survey on relevant telecommunications carriers in October 2004. The second survey on individual telecommunications carriers is, if necessary,to be carried out.
4. Holding of "Conference on Evaluation of the State of Competitionin Telecommunications Field"
On October 15, 2004, MIC and stakeholders jointly held the "Conferenceon Evaluation of the State of Competition in Telecommunications Field." 
MIC will convene such an open meeting in May 2005, with the purposeof summarizing the FY2004 competition review.  In addition, MIC will,when necessary, convene such open meeting, etc.
5. Edition and publication of databook
Collected information will, after compiling and editing thereof, bemade public the end of January 2005.
6. Release, etc. of evaluation results
MIC will make efforts to release the FY2004 competition review (draft)by the end of March 2005 for inviting public comments.  Subsequently,MIC will, paying due respect to results of public comment procedures, fixand release the results thereof at the earliest possible stage.