This PDF is provided by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Library & Archives Service from an officially produced electronic file. Ce PDF a été élaboré par le Service de la bibliothèque et des archives de l'Union internationale des télécommunications (UIT) à partir d'une publication officielle sous forme électronique. Este documento PDF lo facilita el Servicio de Biblioteca y Archivos de la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones (UIT) a partir de un archivo electrónico producido oficialmente. ﺟﺮﻯ ﺇﻟﻜﺘﺮﻭﻧﻲ ﻣﻠﻒ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺄﺧﻮﺫﺓ ﻭﻫﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺤﻔﻮﻇﺎﺕ، ﺍﻟﻤﻜﺘﺒﺔ ﻗﺴﻢ ، (ITU) ﻟﻼﺗﺼﺎﻻﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻟﻲ ﺍﻻﺗﺤﺎﺩ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻘﺪﻣﺔ PDF ﺑﻨﺴﻖ ﺍﻟﻨﺴﺨﺔ ﻫﺬﻩ .ﺭﺳﻤﻴﺎ ً◌ ﺇﻋﺪﺍﺩﻩ 本PDF版本由国际电信联盟（ITU）图书馆和档案服务室提供。来源为正式出版的电子文件。 Настоящий файл в формате PDF предоставлен библиотечно-архивной службой Международного союза электросвязи (МСЭ) на основе официально созданного электронного файла. © International Telecommunication Union INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION No. 2 March 2007 www.itu.int/itunews The future of voice The road to next-generation networks Reforming spectrum management ContentsThe future of voice Cover photos: Alamy, P. Ramakers, 2 ITU at a glance ` ITU receives Cisco Partnership Award ``` Siemens, Télécoms Sans Frontières, ` ITU goes to Silicon Valley ITU/M. Zouhri ` Preparatory meeting paves the way for WRC-07 ` ITU and GSMA sign agreement on promoting access 4 Editorial Deputy Secretary-General Houlin Zhao comments on telephony in transition ISSN 1020–4148 www.itu.int/itunews 10 issues per year Copyright: © ITU 2007 5 The future of voice ` ITU workshop looks at the issues (pages 5–9) Managing Editor: Patricia Lusweti ` The status of VoIP (pages 10–12) Production Editor: Janet Burgess ` Voice in developing countries (pages 13–14) Art Editor: Christine Vanoli Printed in Geneva by the ITU 15 The road to next-generation networks Printing and Dispatch Division. ` Global Symposium for Regulators issues best practice guidelines (pages 15–18) Material from this publication may ` Early adopters of NGN (pages 19–21) be reproduced in full or in part, provided that it is accompanied by the acknowledgement: ITU News. 22 New ways to manage spectrum A workshop by ITU and the Ugo Bordoni Foundation examines market mechanisms Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not engage ITU. The designations employed and presentation of material 25 Telemedicine in Zambia in this publication, including maps, do A remote diagnosis system in action ``` not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of ITU concerning the legal status of any country, territory, 26 Pioneers’ Page city or area, or concerning the delimita- How the biggest ship in the world laid the transatlantic telegraph cable ``` tions of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or of certain products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by ITU in 28 Obituary preference to others of a similar nature Remembering Ilija Stojanovic that are not mentioned. Editorial offi ce/Advertising information 30 Offi cial announcements Tel.: +41 22 730 5234/6303 Fax: +41 22 730 5935 E-mail: [email protected] Mailing address: International 32 Meeting with the Secretary-General Telecommunication Union Place des Nations CH–1211 Geneva 20 (Switzerland) Subscriptions Tel.: +41 22 730 6303 Fax: +41 22 730 5939 E-mail: [email protected] 1 No. 2 ` March 2007 ITU News ` 2 | 2007 ITU at a glance Cisco Partnership ITU goes to Silicon Valley A sound regulatory system that encour- Award for ITU / On 28 February, ITU Secretary-Gen- ages fair competition and innovative busi- ITU has received a “Cisco Part- eral Hamadoun I. Touré attended the “UN ness models is also a pre-requisite, said nership Award” in recognition Meets Silicon Valley” meeting in California, ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré. of the excellent collaboration United States. The event was jointly organ- “I want to challenge you to think beyond between the Union and Cisco ized by the United Nations Global Alliance the borders of Silicon Valley, beyond even Systems Inc., an Internet net- for ICT and Development and Intel Corpora- the borders of the United States, to the working technology company tion. Its aim was to identify areas where the emerging markets in the rest of the world,” based in the United States. In United Nations and Silicon Valley can work the Secretary-General told the meeting. He particular, the award recog- together to expand the benefi ts of ICT in the urged industry in Silicon Valley to join ITU, nizes the successful ITU-Cisco developing world. Among the participants through Sector membership or through oth- Internet Training Centre initia- were executives from such fi rms as Intel, er partnerships, “so that we can together tive, launched in 2002. So far, Cisco Systems, Nokia Siemens Networks, respond to the challenge of connecting the more than 65 centres have Hewlett Packard, Google, IBM Venture Cap- world.” been set up to provide train- ital Group, Visa International, and Micro- On 27 February, Dr Touré also addressed ing in computers and net- soft, as well as representatives of Stanford a meeting of the Global Alliance Steer- works to students in develop- University and the University of California, ing Committee, of which he is a member. ing countries. Berkeley. Participants focused on the Alliance’s Flag- Bringing down the costs of Internet ac- ship Partnership Initiatives, such as im- cess could set off the same wave of con- proving broadband connectivity in Africa nectivity that has made mobile phone usage and expanding telecentres in developing commonplace in developing countries, said countries. innovators and corporate leaders from some of the world’s leading technology fi rms. But Preparatory meeting paves the way making available low-cost computers and for WRC-07 cheap Internet access depends on a com- The Conference Preparatory Meeting plex chain of practicalities, of which techno- (CPM-07), which took place in Geneva from logical innovation is only one component, 19 February to 2 March, adopted a report pointed out Intel Corporation Chairman that will form the basis for the work of the ITU/S. Acharya Craig Barrett, who is also Chairman of the World Radiocommunication ConferenceConfe The Cisco award was presented Global Alliance. (WRC-07) taking place later this year.ar. NearlyNe to ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré by Rebecca Bender, Senior Manager, International Development Aid & Strategic Partnerships, Corporate Affairs, Cisco Systems, Inc. 2 ITU News ` 2 | 2007 March 2007 ITU at a glance 1100 participants from over 100 countries A proposal has been formulated that Agreement signed on attended the meeting, which addressed a gives better protection to maritime frequen- improving access in variety of frequency-related matters. cies around 156.5 MHz used for distress developing countries CPM-07 reached consensus on the ad- and safety purposes. ITU and the GSM Association ditional spectrum needed for the future de- CPM-07 also discussed technical shar- (GSMA) have agreed to join velopment of 3G mobile communications, ing and regulatory issues for the operation forces to boost mobile ac- including IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced, as of high altitude platform stations (HAPS), cess in developing countries. well as the management of existing band which are capable of providing expanded On 6 February, during the ITU usage. Discussions took into account both coverage of high-capacity, competitive serv- Global Symposium for Regula- terrestrial and satellite aspects, with special ices to urban and rural areas, especially in tors held in Dubai, a Memo- attention to the needs of developing coun- tropical countries experiencing high rainfall. randum of Understanding tries. Agreement was also reached on the WRC-07 will also take decisions on new (MoU) was signed by ITU Sec- technical basis and compatibility studies frequency bands to be allocated for science retary-General Hamadoun I. for the upgrade of radiolocation services to services. Earth-exploration and meteorologi- Touré and Tom Phillips, Chief primary status in the 9000–9200 MHz and cal satellites provide valuable services world- Government and Regulatory 9300–9500 MHz. wide. CPM-07 examined approaches that Affairs Offi cer of the GSMA, There is mounting pressure to shorten explore further development and protection whose members serve more timescales for the development of new air- of different science services, including radio than 2 billion mobile phone craft. WRC-07 will consider the growing de- astronomy services. customers worldwide. Under mand for spectrum for aeronautical telem- CPM-07 outlined possible options to im- the MoU, ITU and the GSMA etry and telecommand systems. Flight tests prove the effectiveness of the Radio Regula- will, among other things, sup- led to CPM-07 identifying fi ve candidate tions in the areas of spectrum usage and op- port projects to create low- bands: 4400–4940 MHz, 5030–5091 MHz, erational characteristics of electronic news cost access to ICT in under- 5091–5150 MHz, 5150–5250 MHz and gathering systems (ENG), technical parame- served areas. They will also 5925–6700 MHz. CPM-07 also discussed ters for planning broadcasting-satellite serv- compile a comprehensive, aeronautical mobile services, the alloca- ice in the band 21.4–22 GHz in Regions 1 shared resource of key indus- tion of additional spectrum in parts of the and 3, and using spectrum at frequencies try performance indicators bands between 108 MHz and 6 GHz, and above 3000 GHz. and benchmarks. the modernization of