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China, Huawei propose internet protocol with a built-in killswitch
China, Huawei and Chinese carriers want to redesign a key aspect of the internet -- and while there may be some upsides, their ideas have raised some alarm bells. The Financial Times understands that the group has proposed a new internet protocol at the ITU, New IP, that theoretically offers more efficient addressing and network management than the existing TCP/IP standard but also appears to have hooks that allow authoritarian regimes to censor and surveil their residents. Most notably, there would be a "shut up command" that would let a central part of the network cut off data going to or from an address. As you might guess, that could be handy if China wanted to silence an activist without resorting to extra tools.
Russia is going to test an internet ‘kill switch,’ and its citizens will suffer
Russia is planning to disconnect itself from the global internet in a test sometime between now and April. The country says it is implementing an internal internet (intranet) and an internet "kill switch" to protect itself against cyberwar. The question is, would this actually work? "This, as a single tactic, would not be sufficient," explained Bill Woodcock, executive director of Packet Clearing House, via email. "But it hugely reduces their attack surface. So in combination with many other tactics, it's a component of a reasonable strategy."
Draft 5G specs lay the groundwork for a real standard
With all the hype around early 5G launches and tests, there's one glaring problem: the telecom industry hasn't really defined what 5G is. However, the super-fast wireless is starting to take shape. The International Telecommunication Union has published draft 5G specs that set performance expectations. As a user, you should get 100Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps for uploads -- unlike with LTE, though, that's more of a consistent baseline than a theoretical maximum. You should also see extremely low lag of no more than 4ms (versus 20ms for LTE), and service should work on trains traveling as quickly as 500km/h (311MPH). In short, this should be as fast as a good home internet connection.
There are now 3 billion internet users, mostly in rich countries
The UN's International Telecommunication's Union (ITU) has revealed that over 3 billion people are now connected to the internet, an increase of 6.6 percent over last year. The good news is that such access can have a huge impact "for those who are the poorest and most disenfranchised, including women, youth and those with disabilities," according to the report. However, the bad news is that much of that coverage doesn't apply to people who need it the most. Of the 4.3 billion people still not connected to the internet, 90 percent live in developing countries, with two-thirds of users in first-world countries.
H.265 video gets ITU approval
Web and mobile video will soon get a boost thanks to H.265, a new video codec recently approved by the ITU. H.265, known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), will deliver high-resolution video with half the bit rate of its predecessor, H.264. More than 80 percent of web video is now encoded with H.264, and the standard is supported by most technology companies including Apple. The ITU expects companies to start phasing-in support for H.265 in their next generation products and some companies, like Broadcom and Ericsson, have already showcased the technology. [Via iMore]
ITU approves the H.265 video format, takes us closer to high-quality mobile video
Any smartphone owner who's ever watched a streaming HD video buffer... and buffer... and buffer on even LTE connections will appreciate the ITU's speediness today. Just months after MPEG proposed the extra-miserly H.265 video codec, the ITU has approved it as an official standard. As it's greenlit so far, the format (also known as High Efficiency Video Coding) includes 8-bit, 10-bit and photo-oriented profiles that should cover most 2D capture and playback. Pros are promised 12-bit and chroma profiles in the future, while there's work on 3D for all of us. We'll have to wait for both software support and hardware acceleration to reap the rewards, but there should be many: the halved bandwidth requirements have obvious benefits for cellular devices as well as 4K media delivery for that rash of giant TVs about to hit the market. Let's hope that camera and mobile device makers are just as impatient as we are.
ITU treaty negotiations collapse as US, Canada and UK refuse to sign
As anticipated, several countries pushed to expand the UN's authority to regulate the internet and the US, along with many of its allies, have said they will not sign the updated treaty. Interestingly, the collapse of negotiations began when language was added to the new rules about "human rights obligations," which predictably met with stiff resistance from nations with spotty records on that front, including China and Iran. But the complete failure of the delegates to reach a consensus on updating international telecommunication laws seems to hinge primarily on the push by countries like Russia open the internet to additional UN regulation, that could cover everything from security to the assignment of addresses (something currently handled by ICANN). The US, along with Canada, the UK, Netherlands, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and the Czech Republic have refused to sign the treaty over to the proposed expansion of powers. The proposed change would, in effect, give the UN and other nations regulatory control over content. The concern is that it would open up the web to broader censorship and abuse from oppressive regimes seeking to control information and squash dissent. For now it seems as if the status quo will continue, though, any internet treaty coming out of the UN would likely face stiff opposition from the US, even without the content-related language.
House passes unanimous resolution to ban UN regulation of the internet
In a rare showing of bipartisanship, the House unanimously passed a resolution to ban UN regulation of the internet at the hands of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union). It states that the US would "continue working to implement the position of the United States on internet governance that clearly articulates the consistent and unequivocal policy of the United States to promote a global internet free from government control." Put forth by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, the same bill got the thumbs up from the Senate earlier this year. Both bills are a show of opposition against a potential change to the telecommunications treaty that could expand control from telecom operators to internet companies like Facebook and Google. The 1988 treaty does indeed need an update, but US and Canada along with several EU nations have expressed a strong desire to limit any new policies from impacting how the web is run. Their efforts have so far been for naught, but Congress is hoping that such a unified stance from the US will help sway the votes that are due to happen later this week in Dubai.
ITU will consider broader powers to regulate internet companies
The ITU hasn't updated its rules since 1988. Thankfully the telecommunications arm of the UN is currently meeting in Dubai to rewrite its hopelessly outdated regulations. The US and Canada quickly sought to place limits on any new rules and keep the international body's focus on telecom operators and protect companies like Facebook and Google that rely on, but don't own, the world's online infrastructure. Unfortunately, with 150 other countries sitting at the negotiating table, that proposal was shot down. Critics worry that an expansion of the ITU's powers could make it easier for authoritarian regimes to thwart anonymity and expose more content to censorship. The failure of the proposal does not mean that the International Telecommunication Union will actually seek to regulate the actions of internet companies, but it does leave open the possibility of broader rules that could disrupt the status quo. A number of key issues, regarding security and the weaponization of the web, are also on the table. Next week the participating delegates will vote on changes to the 1988 treaty, which would then have to be ratified by participating nations independently.
EU stands with the US against proposed ITU internet changes: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'
While Russia and some African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries want to tax foreign content providers and track web-based traffic, the EU has formed a bloc with the US to kibosh any such changes. The showdown will happen at the ITU in Dubai next month, during a meeting of the 193 member countries. All 27 EU states are stolidly opposed to the changes (though many of its network providers aren't), some of which were leaked from a draft Russian document proposing more control over traffic entering its networks. Other nations like Cameroon said that Google and other content providers should pay to have their traffic routed to the nation, which it said would help pay for network expansion there. But the European Commission believes "there is no justification for such proposals," that the internet functions fine as is and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." The EC added what others were likely thinking, namely "some countries treat this as a euphemism for controlling freedom of expression."
Google says ITU is 'the wrong place to make decisions about the future of the Internet'
The International Telecommunication Union has been in the news a fair bit as of late, tackling everything from patents to the future of HDTV, and it's now set to be at the center of a particularly contentious issue. As BBC News reports, the ITU is holding a conference in Dubai next month where government representatives plan to tackle a new information and communications treaty -- one that at least some countries hope will shift some oversight responsibilities from US-based groups like ICANN to an international organization. Those plans unsurprisingly aren't going over well with everyone, including Google, which has now come out strongly against the proposed changes. To that end, it's launched a new Take Action website, where it details its opposition and asks folks to sign a petition to back them up. Among other things, Google is criticizing the "closed-door meetings" and "secretive" nature of the ITU, and says the "proposed changes to the treaty could increase censorship and threaten innovation," adding that "the ITU is the wrong place to make decisions about the future of the internet."
International Telecommunication Union: worldwide mobile subscriptions hit six billion in 2011
Last year, the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) told us there were five billion mobile subscriptions worldwide at the close of 2010, and now it's reporting that at the end of 2011, that figure hit a staggering six billion. China and India account for one billion a piece, and it brings us ever closer to having the equivalent of one subscription for every person on the planet. (According to the CTIA, there are already more cellular plans in the US -- around 322 million -- than there are inhabitants.) In a stat-heavy release from the ITU, it also ranked the most advanced telecoms countries, with South Korea placing first, Japan eighth and countries in Europe filling the remaining spots. Interestingly, the number of global mobile broadband subscriptions now outnumbers fixed ones by two to one, and mobile internet services showed the biggest growth rates in 2011: 40% worldwide and 78% in developing markets. The ITU attributes the latter figure to the relatively high price of fixed access in these countries, and the increasing availability of mobile alternatives. The CTIA also commented on mobile broadband use, reporting that from July 2011 to June this year, Americans consumed 104 percent more data -- no doubt due, in part, to people taking advantage of expanding 4G coverage. As usual, we've given you the cheat sheet, so if you'd like the full reports and have got a thing for statistics, there's plenty more in the source links below. [Image credit: Chris Jordan]
ITU roundtable narrows scope of debate around standard-essential patents, doesn't create world peace
The ITU's roundtable discussing the controversy over standard-essential patents has wrapped up its first day, and surprise -- there wasn't immediate harmony. While strict press rules prevent discussing exactly which companies said what in the Geneva meeting, the UN's telecom agency mentioned that the initial, partly publicized discussions saw a "heated debate" that mostly followed party lines. Certain companies kept to their view that bans over standard-essential patents hurt innovation, while others were adamant that bans were harmless and potentially necessary -- you can probably guess who's on each side. The meeting mostly helped whittle down the subjects for the closed meetings, which should focus on how much of a curb there should be on injunctions as well as the definition of just what the "reasonable" in Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (RAND) patent licensing terms should mean. ITU officials remain ever the budding optimists, however. They felt that it was tough to leave injunctions "completely unchecked" and that their institution could shape policies, even if it wouldn't get involved with ongoing talks. Legal Officer Antoine Dore also explained to Engadget that his organization wasn't surprised at the uncompromising stances early on and expected the companies involved to open up "a lot more" once they weren't under the watchful eyes of cameras and reporters. If they don't, we suspect other international organizations could exert their own pressure.
ITU approves NHK's Super Hi-Vision as 8K standard, sets the UHDTV ball rolling very slowly
We'd heard that the International Telecommunication Union was close to approving Super Hi-Vision as an Ultra High Definition TV standard, and the UN agency hasn't waited long to confirm the rumors. The recommendation to use NHK's 7,680 x 4,320 format has gone unopposed and should define the parameters for incredibly detailed 8K video worldwide. This shouldn't lead anyone to return that 4K TV just yet -- once again, it's important to remember that NHK still won't start any kind of wider testing until 2020. That's also assuming that the first 8K sets are down to Earth instead of the incredibly expensive 145-inch variety.
Nikkei: ITU near recommending NHK's Super Hi-Vision as official TV standard
We've seen NHK preparing its Super Hi-Vision 8K video since time immemorial. Wouldn't it be nice if the TV broadcast technology was more than just a perpetual research project? If sources for Japan's Nikkei aren't dreaming, the International Telecommunication Union is now "likely" to declare the format an official standard for broadcasters and TV makers. Should it go ahead, the UN telecom body would ask the world to rely on Super Hi-Vision as an eventual successor to HDTV and reduce the balkanization of TV standards that we've seen in the past. Neither the ITU nor NHK is known to have commented on the claim so far, but NHK isn't exactly in a rush to get a seal of approval from anyone -- widescale test broadcasts aren't coming until 2020, and production TVs themselves are only just entering a 4K universe.
ITU wants to bring smartphone makers to peace talks, hash out patent wars
The United Nations defines the stereotype of a peace broker, so it's not that far-fetched to hear that its International Telecommunication Union (ITU) wing is hoping to step in and cool down the rapidly escalating patent world war. The organization plans to convene a Patent Roundtable on October 10th -- in neutral Geneva, Switzerland, of course -- to have smartphone makers, governments and standards groups try and resolve some of their differences. Those mostly concerned about Apple's actions won't be happy with the focus of the sit-down, however. Most of the attention will surround allegations that companies are abusing standards-based patents, which will put the heat largely on a Google-owned Motorola as well as Samsung. Still, there's hope when the ITU's Secretary-General Dr. Hamadoun Touré talks of desiring a "balancing act" between what patent holders want and what customers need. Our real hope is that we don't have to hear talk of customs delays and product bans for a long while afterwards. [Image credit: Patrick Gruban, Flickr]
'Facebook tax' could make web companies pay for usage outside the US
Leaked documents purportedly from the ITU reveal that the body is considering a levy on content-heavy services like Facebook and Netflix to pay for the bandwidth they use outside of the US. Tabled by lobbyists representing Europe's biggest cellphone networks, the proposal suggests that Google and others should shoulder some of the cost of bringing their services to customers in the rest of the world. In response, Cisco VP Robert Pepper has argued that any such charge could cause web services to block queries from developing nations, "effectively cutting them off from the internet." The motion will be discussed at a December meeting of the ITU council, where all 193 member countries will be allowed to vote. [Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons]
ITU lays out recommendations on 3DTV, Ultra High Definition TV standards (video)
The ITU has stayed busy, as we mentioned earlier it met to hammer out standards for UHDTV (Ultra High Definition TV), and also recently announced a new set of recommendations for 3DTV. On the 3D front it focused on standardization for delivering video in both 720 and 1080 line formats, digital interfaces used for studio production and methods to evaluate quality based on picture quality, depth and comfort levels. As far as UHDTV which is still quite a bit further off, the group has decided the term will cover both 4K and 8K (aka Super Hi-Vision) resolution video, as multiples of the existing 1080p standard. That means Quad Full HD (QFHD, or 3840x2160 resolution) and Digital Cinema 4K resolution (4096x2160) both fall under the umbrella of 4K (check the aspect ratios to see where the "missing" pixels went, or have a listen to this week's podcast. After the break we've got a video with Study Group Chairman Christoph Dosch discussing the future possibilities of both 3DTV and UHDTV, as well as press releases with a few extra details.
ITU meets to define 4K and 8K UHDTV parameters
This month NHK has been previewing a slew of Super Hi-Vision equipment, but there's still much work to be done to make high res broadcasts a reality worldwide. There's where the ITU steps in, and as it did for HDTV back in the 90s it's been meeting to decide just what 4K and 8K Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV) broadcasts are and how they will work. There's no word on minimum pixel counts for the standards -- we expect that quad-HD vs. 4K battle to rage on, remember these are the people who "defined" 4G -- but they're establishing color range, frame rate, and whether the broadcasts will go over unused satellite bandwidth or regular antenna frequencies. If you're somehow confused by the 33MP video streams that are coming our way... some day, check out a video featuring European Broadcast Union Deputy Director of Technology and Development David Wood.
iPad 4G branding strategy defended by Apple in Australia
In an ongoing battle in Australia over the use of 4G in the iPad name, Apple's now arguing that its naming convention adheres to the standard use of the term 4G. According to a report in The Australian, Apple claims, The descriptor '4G'... conveys to consumers in Australia that the iPad with WiFi + 4G will deliver a superior level of service in terms of data transfer speed (consistent with accepted industry and regulatory use of that term), and not that the iPad with WiFi + 4G is compatible with any particular network technology promoted by a particular mobile service provider in Australia. In December 2010, the International Telecommunications Union, which sets the terminology and marketing standards for the wireless industry, defined 4G as "the forerunners of ... LTE and WiMAX, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed." According to this definition, both the iPad and Australia's networks can legitimately use the term 4G to describe their products. We will have to wait and see if the Australian court agrees. A final verdict in this case is expected on May 2. [Via Macworld UK]
