::Welcome to the February 2008 edition of
  Communicate

:: New Members

:: New Members

Communications Alliance is pleased to welcome the following new members:

 
Nokia Siemens Networks
www.nsn.com
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading enabler of communication services. The company comprises the former Networks Business Group of Nokia and the carrier-related businesses of Siemens.

PowerTec Telecommunications Pty Ltd
www.powertec.com.au
Powertec Telecommunications is an Australian company that supplies telecommunications solutions to individuals and businesses around the world. 

inomial
www.inomial.com
Inominal provide accounts receivable, voice billing, LDAP provisioning, spam and antivirus detection, cluster configuration for high-availability mail servers, system monitoring and administration, managed server updates, and more to service providers.

GravityMax Pty Ltd
www.gravitymax.com.au 
Gravity enables digital publishers, mobile operators, broadcasters, advertisers and marketers to quickly launch and operate innovative multi-channel engagement experiences to their target audiences, such as:
• Video conferencing and interactive video
• Digital content delivery
• Digital marketing
• Social Networking.

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:: Preparing for a Broadband World
By Anne Hurley, CEO, Communications Alliance

By nominating ubiquitous broadband as a central plank of its policy agenda for the development of Australia, the Rudd Government set itself enormous challenges.  In order to achieve its objective the government will not only need to grapple with a multitude of technical issues, it will also require unprecedented levels of cooperation and collaboration with our industry.

As the broadband rollout proceeds, government and the industry will increasingly find that the policies, structures and hypotheses that governed the pre-digital world will cease to be effective as communications, broadcast media and information technologies converge.  Therefore Communications Alliance has undertaken to bring the industry together and to provide a conduit to the government as a means of facilitating that cooperation and collaboration.

An important initiative in support of that undertaking is this week’s announcement of the communications industry’s agreed set of “fundamental principles” for development of policy governing the broadband environment.  The policy principles were agreed by the Board of Communications Alliance after several years of industry forums, workshops and consultation involving a broad cross-section of participants in the Australian communications industry.

The industry’s agreed position is that the following principles should guide broadband policy development:

• Ubiquity – Ubiquitous national coverage of broadband network infrastructure.
• Access – Broadband access should be “open access” networks. All Australians should have access to affordable, sustainable, advanced and secure broadband communications services. Communications technologies should expand the accessibility and usability of communications networks and services by people with disabilities.
• Technology – Broadband deployment policies should be technology-neutral. Technology-neutral spectrum policies to promote competitive wireless services and technologies.
• End-user – Promotion of broadband take-up and provision of end-user education about the full potential of broadband applications. Delivery of social and economic benefits to all end-users.
• Competition and innovation – Competition in the provision of converged content, services and applications should be fostered and facilitated. Foster innovation in communications technologies and services.
• Regulation and industry self-regulation – Minimal regulation. Competitive market forces and industry self-regulation should be the principal means of achieving outcomes for network deployments, network operations, industry behaviours and end-user outcomes. Regulation, where necessary, should be targeted and applied in circumstances of market failure. Regulation of content/services/applications, where necessary and appropriate, should be consistent across all delivery mechanisms. A single converged regulator should be created.
• Privacy and security – Provisions relating to security and privacy of communications so as to increase consumer confidence should be appropriate and applicable to broadband communications.
• Stakeholder collaboration – Technical solutions for security, privacy, content regulation, law enforcement should be developed in collaboration with industry.

Communications Alliance will advocate that the government adopt these principles as the framework for its policies for the emerging environment of converged networks, technologies and services.  In addition, we intend to provide a forum for facilitating industry-government dialogue; provide industry perspectives on proposed regulatory reforms and key issues; facilitate industry-led initiatives for the operational, technical and commercial requirements for migration to the broadband environment.

I consider the agreement on the policy framework principles is a true milestone in our industry’s progression.  The willingness of commercially competitive telcos, service providers, vendors and suppliers to reach consensus on issues governing the future direction of our industry shows a growing awareness that we have greater influence if we speak with one voice.

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:: Emerging Services Coordination Group
By Margaret Fleming, Program Manager, Communications Alliance

Nominations for membership of the Emerging Services Coordination Group are to be called in March. The ESCG will consist of the Chairs of existing Reference Panels, plus member representatives with expertise in specialist areas such as competition, economics, marketing, technical areas as required.

Any industry organisation that is a financial member of Communications Alliance is eligible to nominate for membership of the ESCG.

An independent Chair is to be appointed.

The role of the group is to:
(a) identify and plan for the emerging issues and technologies that are likely to affect the industry in the medium to long term; and

(b) identify and prioritise projects in the Communications Alliance Work Plan (which incorporates the Work Plan for Strategic Transitioning to Broadband).

The work of the group will be guided by the following high-level principles:

• to promote the objectives of the Telecommunications Act 1997, including the promotion of competition, the benefit of the end-user, the maximum use of industry self-regulation without financial impost on suppliers;
• to balance the need for industry resources for the development and implementation of broadband transitional and operating arrangements with the need for industry resources required to support a legacy operating environment;
• to prioritise forward-looking initiatives which facilitate the introduction of competitive and/or innovative new services, including enabling connectivity and the efficient operation of inter-carrier systems;
• to be open and transparent and independent of particular stakeholders’ positions;
• to be predicated on not increasing the regulatory burden for industry either through Government regulation or industry-led initiatives.

It is envisaged that meetings of the core group will be held every two months, face-to-face and by videoconference, with teleconference meetings held as required. A member may have a different representative depending on the meeting agenda.

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:: Testing Quality of Service for VoIP - Part 3
By James Duck, Project Manager, Communications Alliance

This month’s article continues the series on Quality of Service (QoS) for Voice over IP (VoIP) and the suggested testing arrangements for QoS on VoIP services.  Service providers can use these arrangements for the purposes of transmission planning, design verification, ongoing network monitoring, and to inform end-users.

Articles in previous months have covered the VoIP QoS Guideline (CA G634), the three types of testing (i.e. design, operational and fault condition), the five transport scenario(s) (e.g. IP only, IP PSTN/ISDN, IP mobile) and information on testing a number of equipment scenario(s) and parameters (in CA G635).  This month will look at the suggested test configurations in CA G635. 

In operational testing, typical network performance monitoring involves sampling statistics for real calls within a network core.  A useful method for assessing voice call performance is to use RTCP XR statistics.  For more information refer to IETF RFC 3611 - titled ‘RTP Control Protocol Extended Reports (RTCP XR)’.  An alternative, lower cost test setup is to use a network reflector to test across a network from a single network test point. 

Upfront quality assessment, also known as design testing, involves different configurations depending on the type of interface.  The testing arrangements guideline includes examples of test configurations for both electrical interfaces (e.g. for Integrated Access Devices (IADs), Analogue Terminal Adaptors (ATAs)) and acoustic interfaces (e.g. for SIP phones, mobile phones). 

Testing configurations also vary depending on the parameters under test.  The guideline includes configurations for the parameters that are key contributors to assessing the R value under the E model (based on ITU-T Recommendations G.108 and G.107), namely mouth to ear delay, packet loss ratio, echo canceller convergence, echo return loss, send loudness rating and receive loudness rating.
The VoIP QoS Guideline is available from www.commsalliance.com.au/guidelines/G634.  The related Guideline on VoIP QoS testing arrangements is available from www.commsalliance.com.au/documents/guidelines/G635.

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:: Manager, Policy and Government Relations

Communications Alliance has appointed Josh Faulks to the new position of Manager, Policy and Government Relations.

Communications Alliance CEO Anne Hurley said creation of the new position reflected the importance of ensuring the industry maximised its opportunity to engage with the Government in developing the policy framework for Australia’s broadband-enabled future.

“We are in transition from the old technologies and policies of the pre-digital era to a new environment where convergence of communications, media and information technology will affect every aspect of our lives,” Ms Hurley said.

“Our industry wants to be proactive and work constructively with the Federal Government in shaping the policy framework for the future.”

Josh comes to Communications Alliance with considerable experience in Government, the development of policy and stakeholder relations.

Since graduating from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Economics, Josh has worked in various senior roles in the Government.  He was an adviser to two Australian Attorney-Generals and in that capacity worked closely with senior cabinet ministers for over four years. Before then he worked with the Government Whip in the Senate.

As the Manager, Policy and Government Relations at Communications Alliance, Josh will focus on the forward direction of the telecommunications industry in Australia. He will assist Communications Alliance to work with the new Federal Government and bring members together on an ambitious agenda of policy initiatives and reform.

“I look forward to being a part of a challenging, diverse and continually expanding industry,” he said. “My goal is to help shape the forward direction of the communications industry and achieve tangible outcomes for our members.”

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:: You Can On a Mobile

Communications Alliance is a proud supporter of the “You Can On a Mobile” education campaign to inform and inspire consumers to do more on their mobile and for the promotion and growth of the mobile content and services industry.

The campaign, based on education and information, has been designed to demystify mobile content and services.  The cornerstone of the campaign is the website www.youcanonamobile.com.au which will continue to evolve according to the needs of consumers.

Some of the topics covered by the You Can On a Mobile Campaign include:

• What is the mobile internet?
• What are downloads?
• Why use it?
• How much does it cost?
• What to do if I have a problem?

The campaign is the result of the collaboration of many large and small companies involved in the mobile content industry, including Ideal Interfaces, My247.com.au, HWW, News Limited, TigerSpike, WDS Global, Optus, Vodafone, Fairfax, ninemsn, Bigpond, 3 mobile, MIA International and VentureOne and many more.

Seed funding for the campaign was provided by ninemsn, Bigpond and 3 mobile.

Strategy and communications development was provided by Naked Communications.

Further information is available at the You Can On a Mobile website www.youcanonamobile.com.au.

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:: SCAMS - Fraud Fortnight
By the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

That surprise lottery win in the mail, the email from your bank asking for your personal information, the ‘amazing’ share offer over the phone—all these can be fronts for SCAMS.

Scams have a devastating financial and emotional impact on Australian consumers. They target everyone. Tens of thousands of Australians, regardless of background, age and income continue to fall prey to scammers and lose hundreds of millions of dollars every year. 

“Scams are designed to trick you into giving away your money or your personal details” said Louise Sylvan, Chair of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, the Taskforce that is responsible for the Fraud Fortnight information campaign which runs from 24 February to 8 March 2008. Fraud Fortnight seeks to provide consumers with information to recognise and avoid scams. 

Scams succeed because they look like the real thing.  Many scammers approach you out of the blue pretending to be legitimate banks or businesses. Genuine organisations don’t usually contact you out of the blue and ask for passwords or account numbers.

“If this happens, don’t respond!” Ms Sylvan said.

Most scams originate from outside Australia and once money is sent overseas it is virtually impossible to recover. This is why education and prevention strategies are currently the most effective way to deal with scams.

Consumers are encouraged to report scams, scammers and fakes to the federal government’s SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au or phone 1300 795 995.

More information about scams can be found in The Little Black Book of Scams published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, tel 1300 302 502 or visit their website www.accc.gov.au.
Fraud Fortnight is an initiative of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, which seeks to increase the level of scam awareness in the community, and educate consumers to protect themselves from scams.

Now in its third year, the Taskforce is made up of representatives from government agencies and features a diverse range of members from across Australia and New Zealand, including government and non-government agencies, community members, and private sector organisations.

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:: Events Calendar

Events 2008

• Broadband and Beyond Conference 2008: Sydney - 3 & 4 March 2008

Public Comments closing in February 2008

• Standard Voice frequency performance requirements for Customer Equipment : DR AS/ACIF S004:2007
• Standard Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network—Part 1: General : DR AS/ACIF S042.1:2007
• Standard Analogue interworking and non-interference requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to the PSTN : DR AS/ACIF S002:2007
• Standard Customer Access Equipment for connection to a Telecommunications Network :
  DR AS/ACIF S003:2007
• Standard Requirements for Customer Equipment, operating in the voiceband, for connection to the non-switched Telecommunications Network : DR AS/ACIF S006:2007
• Standard Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network - Part 2: Broadband : DR AS/ACIF S043.2:2007
• Standard Requirements for Customer Equipment for connection to a metallic local loop interface of a Telecommunications Network - Part 3: DC, low frequency AC and voiceband : DR AS/ACIF S043.3:2007

Guidelines published in December 2007

• Guideline Testing Arrangements for Quality of Service Parameters for Internet Protocol Services :
  CA G633:2007
• Guideline Testing Arrangements for Quality of Service Parameters for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services : CA G635:2007
• Guideline for Carriage Service Providers ensuring the accuracy of geographic numbering records : CA G636:2007

Codes/Guidelines published in January 2008

• Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) Code : ACIF C555:2008

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:: About Communications Alliance

Communications Alliance was formed to provide a unified voice for the Australian communications industry and to lead it into the next generation of converging networks, technologies and services.

Communications Alliance offers a forum for the industry to make coherent and constructive contributions to policy development and debate.

By providing leadership on new trends and directions, Communications Alliance fulfils a vital unifying role on behalf of the industry and its members, particularly in areas of competition, innovation and industry development.

The prime mission of Communications Alliance is to promote the growth of the Australian communications industry and the protection of consumer interests by fostering the highest standards of business ethics and behaviour through industry self-governance.

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