Workshop on Next Generation Networks

On Wednesday August 04, 2004, the Working Group on Standards Coordination (WGSC) and the Working Group on Advanced Network Technologies and Services (WGANTS) held a joint workshop to address the issue of Next Generation Networks (NGN). This joint workshop brought together experts from PCC.I and ITU-T on the topic of Next Generation Network to discuss technical, and standards aspects issues related to NGN. The objective of the workshop was to bring to the membership of CITEL the subject of NGN and identify the important issues for the region. The image shows Mr. Houlin Zhao, Director of TSB, while giving his presentation.

The workshop was divided into following sessions:

• Various perspectives on NGN

• International rules for NGN

• Panel discussion 

• Conclusions

It included experts in the topic that focused on various aspects related to NGN, specifically technical aspects, regulatory challenges and services as indicated below: 

• Shapping the future: Converged networks

• Mr. Oscar Avellaneda, Strategic Standards and Mr. John Visser, Sr. Mgr., Intl. NW Standards (Nortel Networks)

• Service Architecture for Next Generation Networks

• Mr.Wayne Zeuch, Manager, Global Standards Lucent Technologies

• Challenges of Next Generation Networks -An operators overview

• Mr. Eduardo Gabelloni, Manager, International Organizations,Telefónica de Argentina

• ITU activities on IMT-2000 and subsequent systems

• Mr. Gabriel Bernal, ITU Regional Office for the Americas Region

• Question 19/2 ITU-D "Development of strategies for a smooth migration from circuit-switched to packet switched networks and introduction of recommendations in this issue, through a general guideline"

  • Mr. Walter Calil,Rapporteur Question 19/2 ITU-D

• Standardization of Next Generation Networks in the ITU

• Mr. Gabriel Bernal, ITU Regional Office for the Americas .

There was a very lively panel discussion during which many participants raised many issues related to the presentations. It was noted that both the Working Group on Standard Coordination and the Working Group on Advanced Network Technologies and Services should continue working on this important topic and share their findings on an ongoing basis.

Amal Abdallah and Walter Calil
Coordinators of the Workshop