President's Message

Much has transpired since our last newsletter, and I’d like to take a few moments to share those developments with you.

Notably, SUPERCOMM took place a few weeks ago, where ATIS’ annual Technology Conference as well as our final 2009 Board of Directors' meeting were held. It was a special event, as the Board meeting welcomed guest speaker Aneesh Chopra, CTO of the United States. While there, Mr. Chopra engaged in an open and frank discussion of the opportunities and challenges facing the ICT community and the nation. Indeed, the meeting was an impressive assembly of some of the industry's leading technologists.

Beyond Mr. Chopra’s visit, the Board meeting also saw the election of ATIS’ 2010 Board Leadership – covered in depth below. This august group – a combination of new and returning executives – represents some of the global ICT industry’s foremost thought-leaders. I know that these Board Officers will ensure ATIS’ position as a forerunner in global standards development.

In keeping with that forward-looking theme, ATIS is currently positioning itself for 2010. We have recently implemented an extensive committee restructuring, and have taken further steps internally to ensure our continued ability to timely and efficiently develop industry’s solutions.

I believe that these changes – coupled with our strong Board leadership – ensure ATIS’ bright future. Going forward, we will continually take the proactive steps which guarantee ATIS’ ability to help realize the global ICT industry’s new networks, technologies and business models.

My best for the remainder of 2009,

President & CEO
Susan M. Miller

ATIS Board Member Interview

Paul Mankiewich Chair of ATIS' TOPS Council and Chief Technology Officer, Americas Alcatel-Lucent

What role do standards play in determining corporate strategy? How does ATIS support this role?

The role of standards has become increasingly important in the telecommunications industry. From the Alcatel-Lucent perspective, participation in the development of industry standards is critical to ensuring that innovations are aligned with industry trends and customer requirements. The standards development process also provides an opportunity for Alcatel-Lucent to take on a leadership role in the broader industry and ensure that our efforts are aligned with the broader development of various markets.

ATIS - by representing North American interests in a global marketplace - supports this vision and provides an excellent venue for collaboration with all important industry stakeholders. These efforts help to ensure the development of open and interoperable standards that are beneficial to the industry.

What next generation services would benefit from standardization?

Existing networks are typically single vendor within vertical domains. The next generation of networks will be multi-vendor and IP-based. Because of this, and the fact that services are expected to traverse multiple providers’ networks, interoperability between networks will be a key requirement. This will dictate the need for specifications, most notably in the areas of policy management, network optimization, security, and interoperability.

Additional value-added services that will likely be deployed as part of the capabilities of next generation services are such offerings as pay-by-phone, content distribution, identity-based services – including RFID, advanced intelligent home networking (for example - smart grids), and the need for higher bandwidth capabilities to mobile devices.

LTE will play a central role in Alcatel-Lucent's future. What steps are you currently taking to prepare for this fundamentally new ecosystem?

Alcatel-Lucent is a leading player in Long Term Evolution (LTE) and remains committed to maintaining this leadership position. LTE is a strategic investment area for the company and we fully expect to play a central role in driving the evolution to LTE.

To achieve this goal, Alcatel-Lucent has developed among the industry’s most comprehensive end-to-end LTE solutions and offers best-of-breed platforms in all domains.

Not surprisingly, the company is actively engaged in the majority of LTE projects being pursued by operators around the globe, including projects with operators in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Alcatel-Lucent also has continually driven the technical development of LTE, achieving a wide variety of key technical firsts and major milestones, including being the first vendor to receive FCC certification for LTE base stations for the 700 MHz spectrum band.

Where do you see the communications ecosystem in 10 years? What role will companies like Alcatel-Lucent play in that space? 

LTE helps to realize the promise of an all IP-based network, by adding a mobile component to a growing terrestrial footprint and integrating all services under the Packet Domain. In 10 years, Alcatel-Lucent believes that we are going to have heterogeneous networks to give two orders of magnitude more bandwidth per square mile. This is going to create massive needs of management – hence Self-Optimizing Networks (SON) and eSON, and will create large demands on backhaul. Alcatel-Lucent is developing end-to-end integrated networks that can make this massive leap in demand manageable. This will require engagement at every tier – Radio Access Networks, Packet Core, Subscriber Data, Applications – including IMS, Security, Network Management, Data Collection and, of course, services. For Alactel-Lucent, LTE is an end-to-end enterprise and every tier profoundly grows with LTE.

(End Interview)

ATIS Elects Board Officers and Members

In late October, ATIS’ Board re-elected John Donovan, AT&T CTO, as Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Donovan has held the Chairmanship since January 2009. The Board also re-elected Nick Adamo, Senior Vice President of Cisco Systems, as First Vice Chairman and Mark Wegleitner, Senior Vice President of Verizon, as Second Vice Chairman. Elected as Board Secretary was Qwest’s CTO, Pieter Poll. Mr. Poll succeeds Matt Bross – formally of BT, now of Huawei.

In addition to the electing Officers, the Board also elected Alcatel-Lucent’s CTO, Paul Mankiewich, as Chairman of ATIS’ TOPS Council. In this role, Mr. Mankiewich will guide the Council’s development of industry’s business-driven solutions. Mr. Mankiewich succeeds Mr. Poll in this role.

The Board also welcomed newly-elected Class “C” and Class “D” representatives. From the Class C membership, the following representatives joined the board: Kuntal Chowdhury, Vice President of Standards and Technology at Starent Networks, John Shelnutt, Goodman Networks’ Executive Vice President of Sales and Business Development, Terry Metze, Spirit Telecom’s Vice President of Business Development, and Rich McBee, President of Tektronix. From the Class D membership, the following representative joined the board: Lonnie Martin, Positron’s Vice President of North American Sales.

For more information on ATIS’ Board, please contact Tom Goode at: tgoode@atis.org.

ATIS Files Smart Grid Comments

In early November, ATIS filed comments related to the National Institute on Standards Technology's (NIST) Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards. This continues ATIS' Smart Grid related work, which began while participating in NIST's "Roadmap to the Smart Grid" meetings earlier this year. Note that NIST formally recognized ATIS as a collaborating SDO necessary to the Smart Grid's ultimate realization.

In its comments, ATIS expressed support for NIST's efforts to ensure appropriate technical standards are implemented for Smart Grid applications. The comments also highlighted ATIS' various work items which support the Smart Grid's successful deployment. Highlighted work items include: OPTXS expertise in time synchronization; WTSC's work on advanced wireless communication technologies such as LTE; and the PTSC's internet protocol related work.

For more information related to this filing, please contact Tom Goode at: tgoode@atis.org.

ATIS Addresses Priority Items with ITU

In early November, ATIS’ Senior Leadership met with Houlin Zhao, the International Telecommunication Union’s Deputy Secretary General. Mr. Zhao, normally stationed in Geneva, was in Washington, DC for meetings at the U.S. State Department.

During our Senior Leadership’s meeting with Mr. Zhao, they discussed issues impacting ATIS, its members, the global communications space. Two areas of focus were a new ITU standards certification logo and ITU interoperability databases, both of which represent potential challenges to ATIS members.

It was a productive meeting, and one that allowed for meaningful insights into the ITU’s future priorities.

For more information on this meeting, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

ATIS Offers Congress Input on Benefits of Existing Standards-Setting System

ATIS recently sent a correspondence to the House Science and Technology Committee’s Chairman, Bart Gordon (D-TN), with respect to his inquiry into domestic and international standardization processes. In its communication, ATIS cited the existing voluntary, open and consensus-based standards development process’ vital role in ensuring the competitive success of the information and communications technology (ICT) industry and our larger economy.

ATIS’ letter also addressed the Congressman’s specific questions related to the standardization ecosystem. Specifically, ATIS: noted the inherent importance of standards to the ICT sector; explained that the value and dynamic nature of existing domestic and international standards-setting processes makes it unnecessary to undertake a review of these processes; and cautioned against the establishment of a single federal coordinating point for all technical standards areas.

For more information on this correspondence, please contact Tom Goode at: tgoode@atis.org.

SON Forum Begins Common Data Model Technical Report

The SON Forum has begun a new deliverable, a Common Data Model Technical Report. The Report’s initial contributions were received and reviewed during the SON Forum’s September meeting.

An important component of this work is the Common Network Routing Use Case – a recently undertaken work item. The Common Network Routing Use Case describes how routing information will be distributed in the delivery of a communications session. The Forum is beginning to define this work’s scope and goals.

Once that initial work is complete, the Common Network Routing Use Case will be integrated into the Common Policy Reference Model Technical Report.

For more information on this work and the SON Forum, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

NIPP Undertakes New Sustainability Work Item

The Network Interface, Power and Protection Committee’s (NIPP) Telecommunications Energy Efficiency Subcommittee has begun work on an energy efficiency supplemental document, Methodology for Measurement and Reporting – Facility Energy Efficiency. This document will outline a methodology for facility self-evaluation and energy conservation strategies. Note that this document is intended exclusively for facility self-evaluation, and does not imply that energy consumption is comparable between facilities. Still in its initial stages, this document could ultimately be issued as a Technical Report.

For more information on this work, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

NIPP Developing “Considerations for Broadband Protectors” Document

The Network Interface, Power and Protection Committee (NIPP) is writing a “Considerations for Broadband Protectors” document. This document is intended to determine broadband systems’ protectors’-- including xDSL and Ethernet (e.g. 10/100/1000 BaseT) -- impacts on intra-building and inter-building services and applications.

The study will examine protectors in both their operational and non-operational states, and categorize them by both technology type and configurations. It will also consider protectors’ response to a surge event, and how that surge response might impact the services and applications the link is transmitting. This study may result in new “surge withstand” criteria recommendations.

For more information on both work items, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

OBF Streamlines Porting Process

In October, ATIS’ Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) presented its recommendation to reduce the porting interval in accordance with the recent FCC mandate to the North American Numbering Council (NANC). The OBF worked closely with the NANC’s Local Number Portability Administration Working Group (LNPA WG) in this effort. The proposal was included in the NANC’s submission to the FCC in response to the mandate.

The order mandated that the porting interval be reduced to a single day. In order to accomplish this, the OBF streamlined the porting process and identified 14 fields that are necessary to accomplish simple ports. The OBF also requested that the FCC mandate the use the OBF’s porting process to ensure consistent implementation across the industry.

For more information on this work item, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

PRQC Undertakes SONET and Reliability Planning Work

ATIS’ Network Performance, Reliability and Quality of Service Committee (PRQC) has undertaken a series of new issues including: extending synchronous optical network (SONET) infrastructures to support of NGN transports, and designing a methodology for end-to-end proactive reliability planning.

As packet-based transport proliferates through networks – and required levels of interoperability between vendors and carriers increase – existing SONET based infrastructures have been modified to better enable consumer demanded services. In some cases, these modified, ad-hoc infrastructures are implemented differently depending on perceived needs and concerns – thus significantly impacting the quality and reliability of the network on an end-to-end basis. ATIS is working to develop a single, industry-wide solution that addresses these issues.

This work is currently in its early stages, and the PRQC anticipates leveraging the Optical Transport and Synchronization Committee (OPTXS) committee’s expertise in pursuit of these goals.

The PRQC is also examining a methodology to enable end-to-end network reliability vis-à-vis proactive reliability planning.

Given the network reliability challenges posed by new technologies and services, the PRQC is now examining reliability in terms of metric definitions and measurement methodologies. Essentially, this new work seeks to explain the relationship between networks’ design and appropriate levels of service reliability. Specifically, it seeks to highlight the need for a “step-wise” approach to attain the desired level of service reliability.

For more information on both work items, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

PRQC Delivers Paper for Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization

Spilios E. Makris (Telcordia Technologies), Chair of ATIS Standards PRQC Reliability Subcommittee and Percy Tarapore (AT&T), Vice-Chair ATIS Standards PRQC, co-authored a paper/poster for the International Scientific Studies (ISS’09) conference organized by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBOTO) from June 10-12, 2009 in Vienna, Austria. The title of the paper was “Overview of Standards Activities in Reliability and Quality of Service (QoS) for CTBTO’s Evolving Global Communications Infrastructure” and it was presented by Mr. Makris.

This paper dealt with the evolving Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI) portion of the CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (IMS). It focused on the reliability and QOS aspects of the GCI. Specifically, it has addressed evolving network architectures and technologies pose interesting challenges in measuring the “end-to-end” reliability and QoS, two critical aspects regarding the resilience of the GCI/IMS. The GCI is a private data network that is largely based on satellite links. However, for the received information from remote stations located around the world to reach the International Data Center (IDC) in Vienna, a large number of terrestrial networks and submarine cables are involved after the initial VSAT uplink-downlink. Of particular interest is the terrestrial and submarine cable systems portion of the GCI and the independent sub-networks of various Member States used to exchange data with the CTBTO.

This paper gave (i) a broad, high-level overview of the different standards activities, and (ii) discussed the challenges for the evolving GCI in the pursuit to achieve high reliability and meet the appropriate QoS parameters. Examples of applicable standards activities included development of QoS classifications for IP-based services, admission control priority requirements for NGN, and reliability/availability metric definitions and methodologies for various networking technologies.

For more information related to this work, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

TFPC Supports “Red Flag Rule”

On September 25, 2009, ATIS’ Telecommunications Fraud Prevention Committee (TFPC) sent a correspondence to the Federal Trade Commission in support of the so-called “Red Flag Rule”.

In its correspondence, the TFPC expressed its support for the Red Flag Rule as an effective anti-fraud regulation. The correspondence also communicated the TFPC’s position that the mandated November 1, 2009, enforcement date be maintained to ensure that this regulation remains a priority to applicable industry segments. This letter can be found on the ATIS Legal web site at: http://www.atis.org/legal/Docs/TFPC/Red%20Flags%20Rule%20Letter.pdf.

For more information on this correspondence, please contact Tom Goode at: tgoode@atis.org.

HNET Wiki Continues ATIS’ Home Networking Conversation

ATIS’ HNET forum has successfully completed its initial deliverables. Beginning November 1, ATIS’ discussion of home networking work will be conducted on the HNET wiki, accessible at http://hnet.atis.wikispaces.net/.

All ATIS members are eligible to join the wiki and share their home networking priorities and home networking standards.

The wiki will be maintained as a vehicle for industry information sharing and collaboration on issues and concerns in the HNET arena. ATIS is prepared to address HNET-related work items should future needs arise.

For more information on HNET, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

ATIS Realigns Committees for the Future

In late September, ATIS unveiled a significant committee restructuring to better address the evolving communications ecosystem’s needs and requirements.

Note that ATIS periodically assesses its committee structure vis-à-vis developments in the larger industry. ATIS last undertook a major restructuring effort in 2004.

The current set of changes – to be implemented on January 1, 2010 – will improve committees’ productivity and efficiency, while simultaneously reaffirming ATIS’ place as a leader in the rapidly changing ICT industry. The committee realignments strategically position ATIS to best serve the diverse companies that will increasingly rely on tomorrow’s converged next generation networks.

The changes include the following:

• The Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) will restructure to include two subgroups: an Ordering Committee and a Billing Committee. These committees will address ordering and billing issues/requirements for future networks.
• The OBF’s SMS/800 Number Administration Subcommittee (SNAC) will become a separate, stand-alone committee.
• The Network Interface, Power and Protection Committee (NIPP) and the Optical Transport and Synchronization Committee (OPTXS) will be realigned to form two new committees: the Copper/Optical Access, Synchronization, and Transport (COAST) Committee, and the Sustainability in Telecom: Energy and Protection (STEP) Committee.
• The Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NIIF) will be renamed the Next Generation Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NGIIF) and address interconnection between evolving and next generation networks.
• All ATIS committees will regularly identify issues of interest to the Telecom Management and Operations Committee (TMOC), and assist in locating the relevant resources. This model – leveraging subject matter experts’ insights between committees – will be extended to assist other non-service related committees in identifying work and resources.

For more information on this restructuring, please contact Maria Estefania at: mestefania@atis.org.

Susan Miller Named to the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council

The FCC recently appointed Susan Miller, ATIS’ President and CEO, as a member of the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC). The CSRIC succeeds the previously established Network Reliability and Interoperability Council.

The FCC’s CSRIC provides guidance and expertise on the nation's communication infrastructure and public safety communications. The CSRIC’s goal is to provide the recommendations necessary to ensure the nation’s public safety communications systems’ future security, reliability, operability, and interoperability. Among its most important goals will be to improve the collaboration between communications service providers and public safety entities during emergencies.

Susan will join other senior-level nominees from the diverse communications industry on this committee, including representatives from ATIS Board member companies.

For more information on this appointment, please contact Tom Goode at: tgoode@atis.org.

Environment as an Economic Engine Summit

On November 10, Nokia Siemens Networks – in collaboration with ATIS and TIA – hosted "Environment as Economic Engine Summit" at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The event featured a series of leading academics, trend analysts, as well as government and communications industry experts discussing the significant advantages made available to organizations which embrace sustainable business practices.

The event was a great opportunity for “green” business thought-leaders to share the sustainable business’ value-proposition with the larger industry. The Summit also explored the many ways economic sustainability can help stimulate the economy, and underscored the communications industry’s central role in driving positive impacts across multiple sectors and communities.

The event saw ATIS’ VP of Technology and Business Development, Tim Jeffries participating in a panel “The Impact of Environment on Standardization” and ATIS’ VP of Marketing, Lauren Layman, moderating a panel, “Environment as an Opportunity, the Communications Service Provider Perspective”.

For more information on the event, see www.nsn-energydays.com, or contact Lauren Layman at: llayman@atis.org.

ATIS’ Technology Conference at SUPERCOMM

On October 21 and 22, ATIS hosted its 2009 Technology Conference, co-located with SUPERCOMM in Chicago.

The Conference featured more than 30 educational sessions examining IPTV, SON and LTE's transformational potential, and enjoyed positive press coverage. With more than 48 speakers from 30 companies, some highlights included: IPTV session featuring interactive demonstrations; SON sessions examining how the smartgrid and cloud computing will reshape communications networks; and the LTE track sought to clarify migration from CDMA technologies and voice over LTE solutions. For available presentations, please see www.atis.org/supercomm.

Another highlight from the Conference - and for the larger SUPERCOMM show - was ATIS' Executive Keynote Panel. The panel - moderated by Connected Planet's Carol Wilson in Susan's absence, and featuring four ATIS Board members - convened AT&T's CTO, and ATIS Board Chairman John Donovan, Verizon's Sr. Vice President of Technology, Mark Wegleitner, BT's Managing Director of 21CN and Global Platforms, George Nazi, Qwest's CTO, Pieter Poll, and Sprint's Vice President, Device and Technology Development, Mathew Oommen. The panel engaged in a lively dialogue which focused on diverse issues impacting the ICT space. The insightful and forward-looking conversation was certainly one of SUPERCOMM’s highlights, and is available for viewing at: www.nextgenweb.org/supercomm-2009.

For more information on the 2009 Technology Conference, please contact Lauren Layman at: llayman@atis.org.

ATIS Continues Successful Webinar Series

The December 10th Webinar, Environment as an Economic Engine will examine how advanced communications technologies play a significant role in creating a sustainable future by increasing social and economic opportunities while reducing adverse environmental impacts. As providers of the most vital services that people use, the telecommunications industry is in a position to lead in this effort of smarter energy use as a driver of economic benefit.

The discussion will include:

• The role of telecommunications in sustainable development
• ICT as a driver of environment and economic development
• Operator perspectives of environment as an opportunity
• Consumers as powerful drivers of sustainable innovation

Moderated by Bettina Tratz-Ryan, Research Vice President, Gartner Group. Featured speakers include David Lewis, Marketing Director, North America, Nokia Siemens Networks and Robert Heffron, Utility Marketing Manager, Verizon.

Register for the Environment as an Economic Engine Webinar here: www.atis.org/events/webinars.html.

For more information on ATIS’ Webinar Series, please contact Lauren Layman at: llayman@atis.org.