[Chapter-delegates] ISOC at WTSA-20 - Update

[Elizabeth Oluoch]

Dear Chapter-Leaders,

WTSA-20 began on March 1 without the customary pomp and circumstance. There are over 500 attendees in person and more online. Dr. Bruce Gracie (Ericsson Canada), Chair of the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) was elected Assembly Chairman. Five of the six ITU Regional Organization Vice-Chairs were also elected. However, the election of the Russian official representing the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications' (RCC) as Vice Chair was postponed for more consideration.

WTSA's activities are organized around the plenary session where decisions are made and five committees that progress the Assembly's agenda. Committee 3 is responsible for ITU-T Working Procedures, whereas Committee 4 is responsible for the ITU-T work program and organization. Additionally, Committees may establish working groups to oversee certain aspects of their work, as well as informal ad hoc groups to advance specific proposals.

Over the weekend, close to 77 informal ad hoc sessions were convened, including several informal consultations, to converge text in the draft resolutions and establish consensus. The Internet Society prioritized Internet-related resolutions, and some of which may have an impact on the Internet (See ISOC’s WTSA-20 Matrix<https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/doc/2022/wtsa-2020-issues-matrix/>). We can report that issues to the Internet identified in the following Internet related resolutions were removed.


  *   Resolution 20 on Allocation and management procedures for international telecommunications numbering, name, addressing, and identifying resources: One regional group suggested changes that would have given ITU-T a role in the management of naming, numbering, addressing and identification resources of the Internet. The inclusion of Internet resources was removed.


  *   Resolution 50 on Cybersecurity: while some text remains bracketed, the major concern for the Internet community proposed by one regional group was removed. The proposal from one regional group sought a considerable expansion of SG17's mandate to include defining a common set of guidelines for security of information systems/networks/applications/data, as well as incorporation of security intrinsically. Intrinsic security is a critical component of the New IP proposals, which intended to initiate standardization of a new IP design system to replace the Internet. Consensus was reached at the fifth ad hoc session to alter the wording to "security by design."

There are three days remaining and considerable differences remain on some of more contentious proposals.


  *   The proposed draft new resolution on Artificial Intelligence did not apply AI to any specific industry or technology, but it could potentially open new work on AI throughout ITU-T. Some felt the scope was unclear/too wide. Also, too premature. Some agreed in principle and endorsed the need for AI technical standards. Given the broad range of differences, the Ad Hoc group Chair decided to provide a shorter rewrite of the proposal. Some wanted to take the proposal to Plenipotentiary 2022 while others wanted to address it at WTSA-20. The next step was to send a statement of views accompanied by the draft new proposal on AI to Committee 4.


  *   The draft new resolution on "Open Networks" invites the ITU-T to initiate new recommendations, and technical reports on open networks, particularly on non-radio aspects of IMT-2020 and beyond. The Arab regional group which initiated the draft resolution are attempting to integrate third party equipment into the RAN (i.e. the Open RAN approach), in order to reduce capex, which requires access to open interfaces. Industry forums like the O-RAN Alliance, are developing related interoperable interfaces. The proponents' explained that their goal is not for ITU-T to start a new standardization effort, but rather use/endorse specifications developed by other forums such as O-RAN Alliance. There is opposition against this proposal, mainly based on the assumption that no resolution is needed to do the actual work.


  *   Resolution 92 on "Enhancing the standardization activities in the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector related to non-radio aspects of international mobile telecommunications." To avoid continued confusion on the term IMT-2020/2030 etc., an agreement was reached to use the term “IMT systems (including IMT-2020 and beyond)”. Great opposition mounting on proposals to integrate Open Network standards throughout the resolution. The terms "IMT-2020/2030" remains in square brackets, specifically [including the IMT-based Open Access Network standards].

We will have a more detailed report on the outcomes in the coming days. Please do not hesitate to contact any of us (cc'ed) if you have any questions.

Regards,

ISOC at WTSA-20 Team
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