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[Comment-Aso] Letter from ETSI to ICANN Board re ASO



ETSI - The European Telecommunications Standards Institute
Route des Lucioles 650
F-06921 Sophia Antipolis CEDEX
FRANCE

August 6, 1999

Interim Board of Directors
ICANN - Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers
4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
Marina del Rey, CA 90292 
USA

RE: DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR THE MOU BASED ASO

Dear ICANN Interim Board Members,

We welcome the opportunity to write to you on behalf of ETSI members
regarding the "Draft proposal for the MoU based Address Supporting
Organization (ASO)", submitted by the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs).
 
With the convergence of Internet and telecommunications networks and
services, the  harmonization of numbering, naming, and addressing
requirements between the two environments is imminent. In particular,
initiatives for global mobile communications such as IMT-2000 will result in
dramatically increased demand for IPv6 addresses. Among the IMT-2000
initiatives, the 3GPPs (3rd Generation Partnership Projects) are currently
elaborating specifications jointly through ETSI and our partners ARIB/TTC of
Japan, TIA/T1 of the USA, TTA of Korea and CTWG of China. The 3GPP Phase One
launch is scheduled for December 1999. 

As a result of IMT-2000, the RIRs will have to deal with interoperability
between Internet and heterogeneous telecom networks, requiring different
expertise from their traditional participant base. While the administration
of IPv4 addresses is well managed by the RIRs, IPv6 will bring with it new
challenges. To satisfy emerging market customers in an enduring fashion,
wide awareness and an excellent understanding of key commercial drivers are
necessary. Policies to deal with new market needs should be elaborated with
the valuable input of the telecommunications sector. 

Those arguing for an ASO comprised exclusively of RIRs, suggest that new
expertise can be introduced through the RIRs' open procedures and thereby
policy matters will be dealt with satisfactorily. This is highly unlikely
due to the scarce resources available, and their participation behaviour
(i.e. key people go to ITU, ETSI or RIRs but do not necessarily crossover).
In our view, it is essential that the ASO involve all the appropriate
parties. This approach will result in increased knowledge sharing and
ultimately achieve superior results.

We suggest that the "Draft Proposal" be amended to ensure the inclusion of
telecommunications industry numbering expertise, either through
participation of the companies or the appropriate representative bodies
(e.g. ITU, ETSI). If not, the ASO will be unable to adequately consider
policy matters common to Internet and telecommunications, which would be
extremely regrettable.

In her cover letter to the US House Committee on Commerce, (July 8, 1999),
your Chairman stated that ICANN was being created to provide "...a global
private-sector entity to serve as a vehicle for determining consensus across
the Internet community...".  The integration of the telecommunications
sector into ICANN activities will help ensure wide acceptance and increased
legitimacy for ICANN, which is essential to your future success and to the
benefit of the entire Internet community. 

We appreciate your consideration of the above, and trust in your good faith
to ensure the establishment of an ICANN Address Supporting Organisation
which is "... composed of representatives from regional Internet registries
and others with legitimate interests in these issues..." consistent with the
ICANN Bylaws. We remain at your disposal to work with the RIRs to draft the
necessary amendments.


Yours most sincerely,


Karl Heinz Rosenbrock				            Bridget  P.
Cosgrave
Director General					Deputy Director
General

 <<ICANN ASO letter 6 august 99.doc>> 

ICANN ASO letter 6 august 99.doc