Standardization of telecommunications and ICTs

If standardization is indispensable to industrial activity, it is also mandatory for national and international communications. The various standardization bodies working together at international level, both the most recent and the oldest, are gradually adapting to the ever-accelerating pace of technical innovation. They have introduced IP-based remote computing applications into their chosen fields. At the heart of our society, and due to the multiplicity of innovations, standardization has become multidisciplinary. In addition to traditional terrestrial network services, open applications on the various new-generation radio networks have been added. The global consistency of all these services is achieved through the collaboration of a galaxy of several hundred standardization bodies and forums, known as SDOs (Standard Development Organizations).

The current abundance of standards reflects recent technological advances and industrial activity, stimulated by international competition. Systems need to be harmonized to ensure the quality of service and security of exchanges required by professional and private users. On the other hand, countries with less developed economies are beginning to benefit more from these technical advances. On many points, the need for stronger regulation to govern all these developments is becoming apparent. The regulation of services seems to be becoming the indispensable complement to the standardization of communication and information technologies, the development of which is progressing very rapidly.