Workshop on Multimedia Convergence ITUT Geneva, 12 March 2002

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Workshop on Multimedia ConvergenceITU-T Geneva,
12 March 2002

• ETSIs Approach to IPCablecom
• Standardization

Jim Price, C.Eng, M.I.E.E. Chairman, ETSI OCG ad
hoc group on IPCablecom
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Introduction

• The example of standardisation of IPCablecom in
  ETSI
• Basic aims of ETSI in standardisation
• What is IPCablecom?
• IPCablecom for Europe
• The Issues, Opportunities and Challenges
• ETSIs approach to IPCablecom standardisation
• The future of Euro-IPCablecom standardisation

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Firstly, ETSIs basic aims

• a coherent set of standards
• a single standard in any area
• If this is not achievable
• open to standards on competing solutions,
• no conflicting standards allowed
• standards not to be excluded for market reasons
• Also, ETSI shall ensure
• interoperability and/or
• inter-working between its standards

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And the pragmatic view.

• workable solutions are for today
• perfect solutions are for tomorrow
• write good standards for the marketplace
• not to gather dust on the bookshelf!
• strive for systems interoperability
• strive to improve standards,
• must not slow down the implementation
• consider the significance of ONP
• use the expertise of any and all the ETSI TBs
  when and where required!

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Some food for thought .

• the user does not care about technology, he or
  she wants a good, cost-effective service!
• interoperability - a key issue in
  telecommunications
• standards have to ensure interoperability between
  all types of telecommunications networks
• should the same performance requirements apply to
  all types of network?
• does the EC ONP Directive extend to IPCablecom?
• should it?
• what about Lawful Interception and Security
  issues?

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What is IPCablecom? (1)

• Simply another enabling technology
• Using the Cable TV infrastructure
• for faster and cheaper Internet access
• for direct competition with PSTN, ISDN
• for leased lines
• for entertainment
• for multimedia services of the future
• for business and residential customers

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What is IPCablecom? (2)

• so much bandwidth, can be used for "anything"
• almost independent from classical network
  operator
• fosters competition and gives users more choice
• creates new opportunities for suppliers and
  operators
• complements policy laid down in Local Loop
  Directive
• provides a real alternative to local loop
  unbundling

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IPCablecom for Europe .

• ETSI is the recognised telecomms standards body
  for Europe
• ETSIs targets are -
• to make IPCablecom fit in Europe
• to make IPCablecom fit for Europe
• to allow seamless interoperability with
  existing networks
• international and regional standardization of
  IPCablecom
• co-operation with SCTE and CableLabs
• each region has specific requirements

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IPCablecom for Europe .
. Recognising the
issues

• European Cable Operators needed European
  IPCablecom standards
• Existing standards lacked features and services
  demanded by the European market
• ECCA produced an IPCablecom Requirements Document
  to Europeanise the existing standards
• ECCA considered generation of its own standards
  but is not a recognised standards producing body
• Sought co-operation of ETSI which produced a
  Technical Report on Cable Industry requirements
  in Europe

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IPCablecom for Europe.
.... Recognising the opportunities

• European Cable TV Operators need to be able to
  compete with incumbent telecomms operators
• ETSI acknowledged European Cable TV Operator
  requirements
• Differing regulatory and operational scenarios in
  Europe
• Differing signalling types, regulatory regimes
  and service offerings
• Many cable operators already have existing
  telecomms operations
• Decisions were made to
• Build on International work but not be afraid to
  challenge it
• Utilise the expertise of multiple ETSI Technical
  Bodies

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IPCablecom for Europe .
.... The
Challenges

• Cable Operators have begun to recognize
  importance of being involved
• A challenge for cable operators where decisions
  depend on consensus and where they are in
  minority
• Incumbent and Cable Operators, competitors with
  comparable technical needs, have demonstrated the
  will to work together
• IPCablecom standards were a high priority in ETSI
• But so were lots of other things!
• Time to market was of crucial importance
• Good standards take time to produce
• Base standards and local requirements needed to
  be mature
• Expertise of multiple ETSI Technical Bodies has
  been harnessed
• ETSI is now in the forefront of developing
  IPCablecom standards

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IPCablecom for Europe.
.ETSIs approach

• Operations Co-ordination Group established early
  in 2001 to oversee the work
• ETSI Technical Report TR 101 963 defined European
  Industry Requirements, particularly operators
  needs
• A multi-part document structure was devised to
  ensure consistency in the deliverables
• A two stage process was established to translate
  the existing specifications
• Several ETSI Technical Bodies working
  harmoniously together
• The first stage work on the majority of the parts
  has been completed and published
• Further work is well advanced to incorporate the
  ECCA requirements (second stage)

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IPCablecom for Europe.
.future Work in ETSI

• As new parts of the international standards
  emerge, ETSI is well placed to translate them to
  match the European market needs
• ETSI will to develop further parts of the work to
  cover European specific services and regulatory
  requirements
• ETSI IPCablecom specifications for future
  multimedia services will be developed ahead of
  the US market
• Together with appropriate liaison with ITU-T this
  will enable European equipment vendors to succeed
  in the US market
• European operators will be able to offer
  world-beating, voice and multi-media services to
  their customers

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Conclusions

• IPCablecom offers competition
• IPCablecom offers customers freedom of choice
• some regulatory questions still to be answered
• IPCablecom standards work alongside traditional
  telecommunications standards
• standardization is business as usual at ETSI
• ETSI welcomes IPCablecom as a new
  telecommunications infrastructure for Europe

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ETSI's experience has clearly proven that .