GENEVA – Nineteen CTOs from some of the world’s most prominent information and communication technology companies have asked the ITU to take the lead in an overhaul of the global ICT standardization landscape.
Calling standards “the universal language that drives competitiveness" by helping organizations optimize their efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and innovation, the CTOs said that the standardization landscape has become “complicated and fragmented” and asked the ITU to lead a review to clarify the standardization scenario.
The ITU accepted the task.
"Standards are a proven and key driver in the successful growth and deployment of new ICT products, services, and applications”, said Malcolm Johnson, director of the ITU’s telecommunication standardization bureau, in a statement. “And while there are many examples of successful standards collaboration, a fragile economic environment and an ICT ecosystem characterized by convergence makes it all the more important to streamline and clarify the standardization landscape”.
As the networks and services of the next 20-30 years are being developed, only agreed upon global standards will allow for the dissemination of those services on mobiles, PCs, wirelines and home devices, the CTOs said. They also suggested that standards would help alleviate potential “tensions” between operators and nations.
The ITU pledged to host a web portal providing information on the interrelationship of standards and standards bodies, in order to facilitate the work of industry and standards makers while promoting cooperation and collaboration and avoiding duplication.
