ITU Begins Discussing New Multimedia Standard for Next Generation Networks
GENEVA -- The ITU-T is at work on a new standard, H.325, to meet requirements of next generation multimedia terminals and systems. H.325 will complement the H.320-series of recommendations. ITU-T Study Group 16 is devising standards for “multimedia telecommunication in general, including video telephony and video conferencing and other kinds of applications,” said Dave Lindbergh of Polycom, Study Group 16 reporting member.
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“The work so far has been focused on the network layers and some ideas on the service layers. But now we are starting to think about how we can support services and applications in NGN and multimedia applications and services,” said Pierre-Andre Probst, Study Group 16 chmn. Lindbergh said “we are considering… starting a project that we call tentatively H.325, which would be the next generation of the H.320 series of multimedia telecom standards.”
Though the project is in the very early conceptual stage, “we're looking at least two different kinds of major models… One is sort of an enhanced, streamlined, conventional kind of model, similar to what we did in H.320 and H.323 and H.324. And the other being a little bit more of a departure from that, but perhaps giving some more flexibility for the future that’s based on more of the Java/Jini model where you have downloadable code, that might even include downloadable codecs,” said Lindbergh. “But there are certainly trade-offs and a lot of things to discuss.” Probst said “one of the topics is codecs. What kind of codecs do we have to support?”
Preliminary proposals on the needs of next generation multimedia terminals and systems have been submitted by KT Corp. of Korea, Waseda U. in Japan and Polycom. Concepts being considered include concentrating development on core features, aimed at allowing flexibility for later enhancements as the market dictates and next-generation networks (NGN) evolves; interoperability with legacy multimedia protocols and coding elements; development of H.325 as a toolbox type standard that wouldn’t duplicate core NGN functions.
Proposals are sketching an architecture flexible enough to allow for unanticipated requirements and expandability and ease adoption of 3rd-party services and applications. These could include interactive gaming, electronic payment, home device control, e-business systems, calendaring and scheduling. Multimedia applications and services under the core NGN release 1 may be leveraged by H.325 and include presence services and instant messaging and multimedia messaging systems.
Performance requirements haven’t been specified but will be aimed at ensuring quality of experience. Core NGN security-related functionalities should be exploited by H.325, but support for standardized and 3rd-party digital rights management and security systems are also being considered.
The next step is distilling the proposals to their essence and common points, said Simco Ferraz de Campos Neto, ITU-T Study Group 16 counselor. “However, we are still very careful about H.325, as we do not know if our members -- who are driving the ITU-T by their contributions -- really want it. It is something that should fit in the application of NGN,” thereby “’sitting’ on Study Group 13’s work,” said Istvn Sebestyn of Siemens, ITU-T Study Group 16 vice chmn. Study Group 13 is ITU-T’s lead study group on NGN.
Study Group 16 wants to see more proposals for requirements before the next interim meeting later this year, officials said. The next full Study Group 16 meeting, April 3-12, 2006, in Geneva, may vote to create H.325 officially.