Telecommunication

Internet humbles UN telecoms agency

by Kieren McCarthy | 13 Dec 2012 |

ITU forced to face modern realities as WCIT conference implodes

Having turned industries and governments upside down, the Internet has claimed its first organizational scalp, subjecting the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to a humiliating failure at the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai earlier today.

No sooner had applause run out after a vote on what to include in the preamble to an updated global telecoms treaty than the United States took the floor and announced it would not sign it.

"It's with a heavy heart and a sense of missed opportunities that the U.S. must communicate that it's not able to sign the agreement in the current form," said Ambassador Terry Kramer. "The Internet has given the world unimaginable economic and social benefit during these past 24 years. All without UN regulation. We candidly cannot support an ITU Treaty that is inconsistent with the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance."

[Revised] Draft new resolution: International Telecommunication Service Traffic Termination and Exchange

Summary: 

This is a revised version of the original document.

DRAFT NEW RESOLUTION

International Telecommunication Service Traffic Termination and Exchange

The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012)

considering that

a) the transition from the dedicated phone and data networks to converged IP-based networks raises regulatory, technical and economic issues which need to be taken into consideration;

b) many Member States have expressed a need for the initiation and implementation of commercial agreements between authorized operating agencies and service providers of international services, with the objective of empowering all the participants in the new value chain;

c) concerns raised regarding the development of IP interconnection to maintain investment to satisfy future demand,

noting that

a) some Member States are observing a deterioration in the quality of international services and voice traffic;

b) ITU-T Study Group 3 is mandated to study the development of recommendations, resolutions and guidelines related to these issues;

Internet power-grab looms large as world conference enters final day

by Kieren McCarthy | 12 Dec 2012 |

Vote taboo broken at WCIT as chair asks for "feel of the room"


Moment of the non-vote vote at 1am. Credit: Dominique Lazanski

Fears that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will award itself a role in governance of the Internet, despite the promises of its Secretary-General, are looming large on the last day of the World Teleconference on International Telecommunications (WCIT).

At the end of a confusing and fast-paced day of discussions yesterday, the issue that has haunted for the conference for the past six months finally exploded into the open with discussion of a new proposed resolution that would see the ITU "play an active and constructive role" in deciding the evolution of the global communications network.

WCIT petition attracts 500,000 online citizens

by Kieren McCarthy | 12 Dec 2012 |


Half a million and counting...

More than a half a million people have signed an online petition calling on the ITU to reign in proposals that would given governments greater control over the Internet.

The 500,000 benchmark was reached at 7pm local time while attendees to the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai reconvened for a night session where they hope to reach agreement on most changes to the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs).

Second series of texts submitted by editorial committee to the plenary meeting

Annex: 3 pages

ADD B2/49/1

RESOLUTION plen/1

Special measures for landlocked developing countries and small island developing states for access to international optical fibre networks

The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012),

considering

a) Resolution 65/172 of 20 December 2010 of the United Nations General Assembly, on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs);

b) Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference, on special measures for the least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS), LLDCs and countries with economies in transition;

c) the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome;

d) the outcome of the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);

Second series of texts submitted by plenary meeting to the editorial committee

Summary: 

This is a revised version of the document.

Annex: 3 pages

ADD PL/45/1

DRAFT NEW RESOLUTION

Special measures for landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing states (SIDSs) for access to international optical fibre networks

The World Conference on International Telecommunications (Dubai, 2012),

considering

a) Resolution 65/172 of 20 December 2010 of the United Nations General Assembly on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries;

b) Resolution 30 (Rev. Guadalajara, 2010) of the Plenipotentiary Conference on special measures for the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition;

c) the Millennium Declaration and the 2005 World Summit Outcome;

d) the outcome of the Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS);

[Revised] Draft International Telecommunication Regulations

Summary: 

This is the first revision of this document. Changes include:

* A new article 3.9
* A new article 6.X
* Some minor editorial changes

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS

PREAMBLE

While the sovereign right of each State to regulate its telecommunications is fully recognized, the provisions of the present International Telecommunication Regulations (hereafter referred to as “Regulations”) complement the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union, with a view to attaining the purposes of the International Telecommunication Union in promoting the development of telecommunication services and their most efficient operation while harmonizing the development of facilities for world-wide telecommunications.

[While implementing these Regulations Member States shall take into account their international obligations in relation to universal human rights].

Article 1

Purpose and Scope of the Regulations

1.1 a) These Regulations establish general principles which relate to the provision and operation of international telecommunication services offered to the public as well as to the underlying international telecommunication transport means used to provide such services.

Compilation of proposals discussed in Committee 5

The document is a compilation of the draft text that have been discussed and consolidated through the work of the various Ad Hoc Groups, Working Group 1 and 2 and Committee 5.

Article 3

International Network

28 3.1 Members shall endeavour to ensure that [administrations] cooperate in the establishment, operation and maintenance of the international network to provide a satisfactory quality of service.

29 3.2 [Administrations] [Member States] shall endeavour to ensure the provision of sufficient telecommunication facilities to meet the demand for international telecommunication services.

30 3.3 [Operating Agencies] shall determine by mutual agreement which international routes are to be used. [Member States may seek information on the international route of their traffic, where [technically, financially and legally] feasible. Member States shall cooperate - consistent with their national laws [and respective international obligations] - to provide this information to the Member State concerned].

Draft International Telecommunication Regulations

[

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION
REGULATIONS

PREAMBLE

1 While the sovereign right of each State to regulate its telecommunications is fully recognized, the provisions of the present International Telecommunication Regulations (hereafter referred to as “Regulations”) complement the Constitutiona and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union, with a view to attaining the purposes of the International Telecommunication Union in promoting the development of telecommunication services and their most efficient operation while harmonizing the development of facilities for world-wide telecommunications. [While implementing these Regulations Member States shall take into account their international obligations in relation to universal human rights].

Article 1

Purpose and Scope of the Regulations

1.1 a) These Regulations establish general principles which relate to the provision and operation of international telecommunication services offered to the public as well as to the underlying international telecommunication transport means used to provide such services.

Provisions under Article 6

Summary: 

This is the second revision of this document.

Article 6

Charging and Accounting

SUP COM5-AHG/45/1

42

SUP COM5-AHG/45/2

43

SUP COM5-AHG/45/3

44

SUP COM5-AHG/45/4

45

SUP COM5-AHG/45/5

46

SUP COM5-AHG/45/6

47

SUP COM5-AHG/45/7

48

SUP COM5-AHG/45/8

49

SUP COM5-AHG/45/9

50

SUP COM5-AHG/45/10

51

SUP COM5-AHG/45/11

52

SUP COM5-AHG/45/12

53

SUP COM5-AHG/45/13

54

Reasons: Provisions 42 to 54 of Article 6 are proposed for deletion and replacement by the following provisions.

ADD COM5-AHG/45/14

42A International Telecommunication Arrangements

ADD COM5-AHG/45/15

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