This working group was initially established to provide a US private sector forum to prepare for the March 2001 ITU World Telecommunications Policy Forum on IP Telephony.
Since the WTPF, the working group has focused on the follow-up activities, especially the ITU-D's Experts Group proposed at the WTPF that is charged with "taking account of the need of developing countries to plan a strategy of migration for their networks into IP-based networks, . . . to carry out the following tasks":
- to prepare, as soon as possible, a checklist of Factors which developing countries may use in the process of accelerating the introduction of IP networks, thus facilitating the introduction of "IP telephony";
- to advise and assist in response to the concerns and needs of the developing countries on the technical, socio-economic and policy impacts on the introduction of "IP telephony";
- to prepare a report to the forthcoming World Telecommunication Development Conference, in order for this Conference to take the necessary action.
Schedule
— Provide a forum for USITUA members discussion of IP-based Network Issues in preparation for October 8-10 ITU-D Experts Group meeting;
— December ITU-D Experts Group meeting; March 2002 ITU-D World Telecommunications Development Conference. (NOTE: The WTDC is expected to initiate new ITU-D activities related to IP-based Networks and IP Telephony).
