ACIF activities since GSC10

1. GSC11_OPEN_06 ACIF activities since GSC10 Mike Johns International Manager Australian Communications Industry Forum

2. Overview • About ACIF • New directions and initiatives • Standards development • IP and convergence • Codes & other ACIF publications • Forums and seminars • Accessibility • ACIF website • What else is happening GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

3. About ACIF ACIF is a member-funded organisation established in 1997 to lead industry involvement in defining the communications environment. • ideally placed to reflect and respond to the dynamics of the telecommunications industry. • membership comprises carriers/carriage service providers, business and residential consumer groups, industry associations and individual companies. • operates on the central premise that the best outcomes for all stakeholders in Australian telecommunications can be achieved by cooperation. • processes fostered by ACIF allow the interested parties to achieve consensus, obviating the need for government regulation. • through specialist advisory groups, public forums and other avenues, ACIF continues to be proactive, contemporary and relevant to the changing needs of Australian telecommunications. • provides a neutral forum in which all participants and end-users in the Australian communications industry can work together to foster an efficient, competitive environment. GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

4. New directions and initiatives • ACIF is taking initiatives that extend far beyond former role as primarily a developer of Codes, Standards and Guidelines • ACIF is taking a leadership role in the development of a strategic framework for the transition to NGNs in Australia. Now looking to take a more strategic response – beyond VOIP to NGN. • first phase of the strategic framework - convening a series of open industry information sessions. The 4 fact finding Future Forums – Toward the NGN World sessions - to discuss, explore and examine industry strategies for transitioning to NGNs. • commissioning discussion papers, holding workshops and forums, identifying critical issues & making submissions to government. • new ACIF Works Program & ACIF Publication Report - www.acif.org.au/projects/overview (updated regularly) • ACIF Annual Report www.acif.org.au/about_acif/annual_report • Awards: the inaugural SPAN CommsDay Award for Excellence in Services to the Industry – Professional Services. ACIF Chairman winner of the ATUG Charles Todd Medal (Communicator of the Year) Award – significant contributions to Australian communications industry GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

5. Standards development http://www.acif.org.au/documents_and_lists/standards • program to consider the future direction of telecommunications Standards development in Australia • new project management tools to facilitate faster development times • in development – amending DSL customer equipment Standard - increase in upstream bandwidth to align with Annex M of G992.3 & G992.5 (ADSL2 & 2+) and accompanying network deployment Code (for interference management) • new and revised Standards • revised customer cabling Standards - ACIF’s most referenced documents, relevant to an estimated 55,000 cablers in Australia. • two companion guidelines - released in conjunction with cabling Standards. • revised mobile phone standards to assist users dialling the emergency services. • acoustic safety standards & recommendations for mobile phones standards – maximum SPL limits. GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

6. IP and convergence www.acif.org.au/projects/voip • Convergence Group & its Working Groups - reviewing issues that arise in the emerging converged regulatory and technical environment - VoIP, NGN & content. Implementing appropriate self regulatory approaches. Current issues: peering, QoS framework, IP interconnection, Fault restoration & service support • 2nd Annual VoIP Forum in December - ‘Identifying the Missing Links’ - theme of Interprovider Cooperation – QoS, consumer awareness, security, regulatory obligations • Industry Discussion Paper – QoS-based VoIP service interconnectivity - examining the feasibility of an industry-wide approach to VoIP peering - international VoIP peering initiatives. www.acif.org.au/projects/public_comment • publications & factsheets for VoIP providers • VoIP security • What you should tell your customers about their Internet Telephony/VoIP Service • Access to Emergency Services for users of VoIP and Internet Telephony Fact Sheet • A Basic Guide to VoIP Technical Terms and Issues GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

7. Codes & other ACIF publications (1) • Code compliance framework – encourage and enhance industry compliance with its published Codes – new Compliance Manual for members • successes - Consumer Contracts Industry Code - first of its kind to protect consumers and small businesses against unfair communications contracts • revised Credit Management Code - requires all telecommunications carriers and carriage service providers to take measures to prevent its customers from getting into financial difficulties • Financial Hardship Guide - to assist service providers in developing a financial hardship policy for customers experiencing difficulties in paying their phone bills • recently published - Handling of Life Threatening and Unwelcome Calls Code GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

8. Codes & other ACIF publications (2) • Local Number Portability Code - greater flexibility in the movement of local numbers, cooling off periods in telemarketing contracts • new Accessible Equipment Information Industry Code - people who need special features to help them use their telephones will be able to make better informed choices • Connect Outstanding Industry Code - reduced delays for customers moving into new premises where the previous customer has failed to request disconnection of their service - New rules to reduce delays in reconnecting a service • in development, an example of cross-industry cooperation – Telecommunications in road reserves – Operational Guidelines for installations Guideline – road authorities & telecommunications carriers GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

9. Forums & seminars http://www.acif.org.au/projects/seminars • Symposia For A Single Consumer Code For Telecommunications (Jul 05) • Customer Equipment Standard stakeholder Workshop - enhancing collaboration between all stakeholders and strengthening the ability to be successful in delivering outcomes (Sep 05) • Financial Hardship Policy Workshop (Nov 05) • 2nd ACIF VoIP Forum  - Identifying the Missing Links (Dec 05) • ACIF Presentation on Inter-domain traffic engineering (Feb 06) • Consumer Codes - What you should know (Feb 06) GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

10. Accessibility • The Consumer Council and Disability Council have been established to ensure that consumers’ interests in the development of ACIF policy and government, regulatory and industry policy relating to telecommunications are met. • Disability Council - framework for ensuring adequate and appropriate disability sector input into ACIF Codes and Standards • Consumer Council - ensure adequate and appropriate broad consumer input into ACIF processes and activities, particularly in Code development • development of a Guideline on accessibility of payphones - siting of payphones, the design of both the cabinet and handset. • revision of ACIF’s Guideline to assist ACIF & industry understand & accommodate the need of people with disabilities GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

11. ACIF website http://www.acif.org.au • over 35 countries have logged on to ACIF’s website to see what is happening down under. • interest in ACIF’s site has spanned from Belgium to Japan, Italy, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, from Finland to Mexico, the Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden, Taiwan, Israel & Brazil. GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications

12. What else is happening • on the Australian agenda – FTTx, Wireless Broadband Access, Mobile TV & IPTV, digital TV & radio, broadband rollout • new communications regulator ACMA – merging telecommunications & broadcast - enable a coordinated response to converging technologies and services, and to the long-term management of spectrum - consistent & harmonised approach to the digital communications regulatory environment • ‘Connect Australia’ – major Government funding initiative for regional communications. Government’s new ‘national infrastructure blueprint’ • DCITA VoIP report on ‘Examination of policy and regulation relating to VoIP services’ • changes to the framework for the regulation of mobile premium services which will include both appropriate community safeguards • ACMA discussion paper on ‘The Strategies for Wireless Access Services’ • proposed changes to Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan to support UWB (22–26.5 GHz frequency band) • Broadband over Powerline trials – alternative access technology GSC: Standardization Advancing Global Communications