[Chapter-delegates] Final Days of WTSA-16

[Elizabeth Oluoch]

Greetings from Yasmine Hammamet,

We are in Day 09 of WTSA-16 and down to the final two days. We are in plenary mode where all delegations gather to approve the work programs and structural plans negotiated and agreed to over the past week. Given the number of ad hoc committee sessions convened this past week on Internet related matters, it’s fair to say this area dominated much of the WTSA-16 agenda. Despite several rounds, days even, of tough negotiations that extended into the early hours of the morning, compromise could not be achieved on some Internet related resolutions. As we enter the first plenary session today, open issues remain on Over-the-top services/applications, Privacy and Trust of the Internet of Things, Open Source, the role of IoTs, Digital object architecture<https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/public-policy/2016/10/what-digital-object-architecture-doa-read-our-new-information-paper> (DOA) and Spam.

On Internet of Things, two ad hoc groups were formed to deal with terminology questions surrounding privacy and trust, and critical infrastructure in IoT as well as proposed changes to the mandate and lead roles for ITU-T SG 20.  On privacy and trust, the major point of contention was whether to focus on the technical aspects of privacy in line with Study Group 17’s work (Lead SG on security) on Personal Identifiable Information (PII) rather than more broadly on privacy, raising concerns of scope creep into national jurisdictional policy matters. Further concerns emerged on the implications of reflecting infrastructure terminology in the resolution. Those opposed were of the view that such terminology was too vague and open to interpretation that could include national critical infrastructure. An agreement was struck to include a footnote defining infrastructure as “criticality of infrastructure.”
The SG20 mandate discussions were on whether to include numbering, big data and personal identification, areas currently under study in other study groups. Currently, SG20 is the Lead study group on Internet of Things (IoT) and its applications and the Lead study group on Smart Cities and Communities (SC&C). Proposed lead roles for approval are as follows:
•        Lead study group on Internet of Things (IoT) and its applications
•        Lead study group on Smart Cities and Communities (SC&C) including its e-services and smart services
•        Lead study group on IoT and SC&C data analytics and intelligent control
•        Lead study group for [IoT identification]

Over-the-Top services/applications was heavily debated as some countries sought to update Resolution 29 on Alternative Calling Procedures to reflect OTT services/applications as fraudulent use of telecommunications. However, a consensus resolution was reached to reflect impacts of emerging technologies on national telecommunications however, a compromise was not reached on terminology of the resolution. The proposed terminology is “Online Services for Voice Messaging that Require access to international public telecommunication number resources.” A path forward is constrained by two opposing views, those that want to see a more explicit references to OTT and those that can only accept the proposed terminology that has been brought forward.

On the DOA, the approval of several resolutions have been held up for lack of a compromise on the DOA/Handle System references in the resolutions. There were 10 resolutions submitted to WTSA-16 mentioning the DOA. Compromise was reached in some of those resolutions either by removing the DOA reference or replacing the reference with an ITU Recommendation X.1255<http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-X.1255-201309-I> : Framework for discovery of identity management information, which is based on the DOA. The issue will be presented before the plenary today where member states will decide how to address this particular issue.  The resolutions concerned include:
•        Resolution 50: Cybersecurity
•        Resolution 60: The evolution of the identification and numbering systems to meet the emerging technological trends including Internet of Things (IoT)
•        Resolution 78: Information and communication technology applications and standards for improved access to e-health services
•        And a new proposed resolution on Combating Counterfeit Devices.

The spam debates from plenipotentiary 2014 re-emerged as several developing countries sought to strengthen activities in spam in ITU-T with the possibility of developing a regulatory standard to combat spam. Given the extent of spam activities in ITU Telecommunication Development (ITU-D) including an ISOC LOA with ITU-D to Combat Spam, the views opposed were that it was unnecessary given the extent of activities in ITU-D. A compromise has not been reached.

Finally, it’s important to note that while these issues are still open, they could change as negotiations take place through the course of the day. Stay tuned.

Best,
Elizabeth
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