November 17, 2009, Washington, DC – The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) announced today the release of three newly-created IPTV standards.  ATIS’ IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF) – a global leader in IPTV standards development – recently completed this work.

These deliverables standardize multiple areas of the IPTV ecosystem.  The three released standards consider: a test plan for validating objective quality models in the context of IPTV services; IPTV software download sequence and remote management security considerations and requirements to ensure interoperability between service provider IPTV multicast applications; and network provider domains, home networks, and the IPTV terminal device. 

The recently-released documents are detailed below: 

• Test Plan for Evaluation of Quality Models for IPTV Services (ATIS-0800025) describes a comprehensive test plan for validating objective perceptual quality models in the context of IPTV services.  The plan defines the procedure for evaluating quality models’ criteria, performance, evaluation and documentation.  Using a single standardized test for various services allows diverse algorithms to be consistently tested and enables easier cross-comparison.  This document is intended to benefit Quality of Experience (QoE)- model standards development and alternatively evaluate QoE-model test processes.

• Remote Management of Devices in the Consumer Domain for IPTV Services (ATIS-0800009.v002) expands ATIS-0800009 to include additional details on security considerations and clarifies the software download sequence and protocols. 

• Multicast Network Service Specification (ATIS-0800019) provides a baseline set of requirements to ensure interoperability between service provider IPTV multicast applications and the network provider domain, the home network, and the IPTV Terminal Function (ITF).  It describes an IP multicast service that the network provider can use as a basis for a linear/broadcast TV service.

“These standards will enable interoperability between disparate elements of the vast IPTV ecosystem,” said Susan Miller, ATIS President and CEO. “Successfully realizing remote device management and multicast network interoperability – while simultaneously ensuring high QoS levels across and between services – is essential to IPTV’s continued growth and adoption.”   

These new standards are available through the ATIS Document Center at: https://www.atis.org/docstore/. The Document Center is an online resource for published and pre-published telecommunication standards, as well as technical reports, requirements and guidelines produced by ATIS-sponsored industry forums and committees.

ATIS IIF Mission Statement
The IIF enables the interoperability, interconnection, and implementation of IPTV systems/services by developing ATIS standards and facilitating related technical activities. This forum will place an emphasis on North American and ATIS Member Company needs in coordination with other regional and international standards development organizations.

About ATIS
ATIS is the leading technical planning and standards development organization committed to the rapid development of global, market-driven standards for the information, entertainment and communications industry. More than 250 companies actively formulate standards in ATIS’ 20 Committees, covering issues including: IPTV, Service Oriented Networks, Home Networking, Energy Efficiency, IP-Based and Wireless Technologies, Quality of Service, Billing and Operational Support. In addition, numerous Incubators, Focus and Exploratory Groups address emerging industry priorities including “Green”, IP Downloadable Security, Next Generation Carrier Interconnect, IPv6 and Convergence.

ATIS is the North American Organizational Partner for the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a member and major U.S. contributor to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio and Telecommunications’ Sectors, and a member of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL). For more information, please visit www.atis.org.