developments in next generation applications and services

Developments in next generation applications and services

NOVEMBER 2011

Canberra Purple Building Benjamin Offices Chan Street Belconnen ACT

PO Box 78 Belconnen ACT 2616

T +61 2 6219 5555 F +61 2 6219 5353

Melbourne Level 44 Melbourne Central Tower 360 Elizabeth Street Melbourne VIC

PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne VIC 8010

T +61 3 9963 6800 F +61 3 9963 6899

Sydney Level 5 The Bay Centre 65 Pirrama Road Pyrmont NSW

PO Box Q500 Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230

T +61 2 9334 7700 1800 226 667

F +61 2 9334 7799

copy Commonwealth of Australia 2011 This work is copyright Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced

by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction

and rights should be addressed to the Manager Editorial Services Australian Communications and Media Authority PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne Vic 8010

Published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority

Contents

Executive summary 1

1 Methodology 3

2 Introduction 4

3 Connectivity 6 E-health 7 E-education 8 SoHo and teleworking 9 Application security 9 Video and voice 10 Extending connectivity services 11

4 Collaboration 13 Cloud applications 13 Social media 14 Visual collaborative applications 15

5 Distributed applications 17 Distributed grid computing 17 Security 18 Motivation 19 Projects and applications 19

6 Issues for regulation 20 Increased complexity 20 Increased fragmentation 20 User-centric responses 21

7 Conclusion 22

Glossary 23

acma | iii

Executive summary

Next generation networks (NGN) provide common internet protocol (IP)-based accessible infrastructure that is increasingly available to customers In the past dedicated networks delivered single services such as the voice telephone service By allowing interconnection to other lsquolike networksrsquo such as the internet NGNs effectively remove carriage technology barriers to provide a broad foundation for next generation applications and services This has implications for providers users and regulators as it not only changes the shape of applications and services but also the nature of interaction in a converging industry

In this report the term NGN is used broadly to describe a suite of technology developments that are occurring in core and access network architecture environments and are facilitating the development of innovative applications Its focus is on the inherent NGN properties of

gt connectivity (always-on communications)

gt collaboration (sharing and centralising resources and capabilities)

gt distributive networking (aggregation of disparate resources and capabilities)

Next generation applications primarily provide connectivity that is characterised by being lsquoalways onrsquo and readily accessible Connectivity is providing the catalyst for e-health and teleworking service solutions There are also ongoing developments in next generation access network infrastructure such as fibre wireless and femtocells that extend broadband connectivity and are supporting developments in video telephony and high definition (HD) voice applications However the shared infrastructure of next generation networks poses challenges in managing the security and reliability of information

Collaborative applications rely on the high-speed network connections of next generation access services along with cloud computing for data storage and management Many of these applications most notably social media applications are both device-agnostic and platform-independent which reduces take-up barriers Cloud computing is changing the existing application service model from requiring software installation on a local machine or the purchase of application-specific infrastructure to one that accesses collaborative applications on a common access platform This enables people to share discuss innovate create value and produce information regardless of their location Such flexibility brings many benefits for users but also increased fragmentation of service components This challenges regulatory models based on assumptions that service provision can be directly related to a specific carriage service or carriage service provider (CSP)

Distributed applications combine the resources of thousands of individual computers to harness computing power to solve complex problems Because a distributed application system segments a large task into many smaller tasks computers around the world can each perform a small task simultaneously to reduce computation time from years to months or even days Next generation access networks make distributed applications possible by providing the connecting infrastructure to utilise the disparate computing and data resources

The growth in use of multi-function devices which are always connected to provide access to multiple applications adds to an already complex service environment Intelligent smartphones can activate decisions made under different circumstances

acma | 1

months or years after a user has installed an application and connections can be created without user awareness This smart functionality tests the bounds of usersrsquo reasonable awareness and informed consent provision

The challenge for regulation is to accommodate not only the changes in the next generation access technologies used to provide convergent communications services but also the fragmentation of service components across different service providers This includes service initiation agreements and the variety of techniques that can be used to deliver services and applications in the next generation environment

2 | acma

1 Methodology

The ACMA undertakes research into Australiansrsquo use of and participation in communications and media to understand the broader changes occurring in this environment Technology developments that introduce innovative services and applications change supply arrangements and impact on consumersrsquo service use and preferences challenge some of the concepts and structures on which current regulatory arrangements are based

This research assists the ACMA in identifying the application of regulation to existing and new platforms services and applications in a converging communications environment

Information in this report has been gathered using desktop research and focuses on those applications and services facilitated by next generation networks

This report is the fourth in a series examining the pressures of technology changes and developments on current regulatory arrangements

gt Technology developments in the digital economy (August 2010) provides an overview of the major developments in networks and services that support the digital economymdashinfrastructure technologies smart technologies and developments in the digital community The report details how digital technologies affect the interaction between individuals and organisations that now communicate using multiple forms of media in a variety of environments

gt Developments in home networks (February 2011) explores digital communications developments occurring in the home network environment It examines technological developments and product migration issues for homeowners service providers and those in the industry that enable service delivery and digital content in the home beyond the network boundary where the consumer has an increasingly active role

gt Sensing and monitoringmdashRecent developments (September 2011) examines the technologies that support data collection and information-harvesting and how particular sectors of the digital economy are taking advantage of developments in sensing and monitoring It also discusses some potential implications of these digital capabilities for users

Infrastructure developments are discussed further in this current report

Comments on this report are welcome and can be submitted to the following address

Manager Technology Applications Section Australian Communications and Media Authority PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne Vic 8010

acma | 3

2 Introduction

Next generation networks (NGN) provide common accessible infrastructure and are increasingly more available to the customer through broadband access technologies In the past vertically integrated dedicated networks delivered single services such as the voice telephone service By allowing interconnection to other like networks such as the internet NGNs effectively remove carriage technology barriers that provide a broad foundation for next generation applications and services They also create an opportunistic low-risk environment where new applications can be implemented first on a small scale to test the market and then globally

In Australia NGN services and applications are already delivered by the major carriers and service providers that operate core next generation networks These applications and services are available to users via technologies layered over legacy access networks The NBN is expected to provide next generation access infrastructure through fibre to the home to fully integrate with service provider networks

Next generation access services facilitate access and carriage while the applications provide an interface for information exchange They differ from traditional access services as they are lsquoalways onrsquo and enable the integration of voice data images and video applications

Figure 1 depicts the next generation structure that enables the hosting of converged applications in a shared environment

Figure 1 Next generation environment

4 | acma

In describing the next generation service environment this report identifies the emerging applications by categories defined by the fundamental NGN properties


gt collaboration (sharing and centralisation of resources and capabilities)


The current application network and service-specific regulatory frameworks are being challenged by these technology developments

This report focuses on the developments in NGN access technologies that have spurred growth in connectivity and collaborative and distributed applications It examines regulatory implications arising from this more complex and fragmented service environment

acma | 5

3 Connectivity

Broadband technologies and penetration play an underpinning role in the development of connectivity-based applications Next generation applications built on connectivity are primarily based on the lsquoalways-onrsquo or accessible concept

In Australia the next generation access networks of both fibre-optic cable and 4G wireless through their ubiquity low latency and high bandwidth will promote the use of richer media applications with multiple simultaneous services

1 NGN connectivity

applications rely on minimum threshold coverage requirements for the application to have utility NBN Co intends to make available enabling broadband infrastructure to all Australians which will potentially provide universal access for next generation applications In that context the National Broadband Network (NBN) is expected to drive developments in information exchange storage and access interactive applications such as two-way communications automated monitoring that moves data to people rather than people to data and application-based overlays such as private networks

For disparate information technology architecturemdashwhich can comprise multiple requesting clients and responding serversmdashto work effectively continuous network connectivity is required Figure 2 outlines the basic connectivity components of web services that support many next generation applications The underlying building blocks of all IP-based networks provide the necessary addressing and communications protocols At a higher layer the universal resource locator (URL) as a text-based identifier provides the connectivity of web-based applications

Figure 2 Clientndashserver architecture

This chapter explores further the connectivity applications in e-health e-education and the residential environment of teleworkers

1 S Acharya ITU World Radiocommunication Seminar highlights future communication technologies ITU

media release 6 December 2010

6 | acma

E-health The Australian Government is tackling the issue of rising healthcare costs and an ageing population by reforming Australiarsquos healthcare system

2 One of the key drivers

in reforming healthcare includes e-health which aims to change the way healthcare is delivered by adopting new and advanced information and telecommunications applications and services customised for healthcare

3 E-health solutions seek to

complement or substitute the consultation and monitoring processes between medical service providers and those who require these services

According to National ICT Australia (NICTA) three key barriers to widespread e-health communications adoption in Australia are regulation innovation and interoperability NICTA highlights that pervasive broadband access which facilitates the connectivity between patient healthcare provider service provider and healthcare facility addresses these barriers

4

While some e-health applications are being delivered over existing broadband technologies the NBN access network is expected to improve universal access to e-health services decrease costs and provide a faster and more efficient service

5

The National E-Health Transition Authority6 a government body established to

develop ways of electronically collecting and securely exchanging health data has noted that future e-health projects and applications such as the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) system

7 will require faster and more reliable next

generation access technologies8

For example a patientrsquos PCEHR may contain high-quality medical images such as a magnetic resonance image (MRI) and computer-aided tomography (CAT) scan that can be transferred and downloaded by the medical specialist for diagnosis in order to propose and monitor treatment more easily

9

Next generation access services bridge the distance between the specialist and the facility by using technologies like HD video or telepresence for patient to specialist consultations Video for healthcare requires high-grade image acquisition hardware and software with controlled levels of ambient light and reflections image compression techniques and high-quality visual displays so a specialist at the other end of a communication can correctly validate and diagnose a patientrsquos condition with confidence

10

Video consultations may also promote enhanced and more efficient use of a specialised workforce The NSW Department of Health has implemented

2 Department of Health and Ageing National Health Reform

wwwyourhealthgovauinternetyourhealthpublishingnsfcontenthome viewed 5 July 2011 3 V Della Mea lsquoWhat is e-Health (2) The death of telemedicinersquo Journal of Medical Internet Research

20013(2)e22 wwwjmirorg20012e22 viewed 5 July 2011 4 National ICT Australia Telehealth and pervasive broadband Australian and International experience

wwwnictacomaupubdoc=4423 viewed 5 July 2011 5 Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) New inquiry into the National Broadband Network

February 2011 wwwaphgovauhousecommitteeicNBNsubsSub076pdf viewed 5 July 2011 6 National E-Health Transition Authority wwwnehtagovau viewed 5 July 2011 7 Department of Health and Aging Personally controlled electronic health records

wwwyourhealthgovauinternetyourhealthpublishingnsfContentpcehr viewed 5 July 2011 8 Peter Fleming lsquoThe Future is Now Electronic Health in Australiarsquo Korean Australian and New Zealand

Broadband Summit 2011 httpdbcdeviostreamcomschedule viewed 5 July 2011 9 National E-Health and Information Principal Committee National E-Health Strategy 30 September 2008

wwwhealthgovauinternetmainpublishingnsfcontent604CF066BE48789DCA25751D000C15C7$FileNa

tional20eHealth20Strategy20finalpdf viewed 5 July 2011 10 American Telemedicine Association Telehealth Practice Recommendations for Diabetic Retinopathy

February 2011 wwwamericantelemedorgfilespublicstandardsDiabeticRetinopathy_withCOVERpdf

viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 7

videoconferencing consultation covering multiple metropolitan regional and rural NSW healthcare facilities By connecting each healthcare facility doctors are able to engage in real-time consultations with patients especially at remote healthcare facilities where specialised support to other doctors is prohibitively expensive

11 The Grampians Rural

Health Alliance (GRHA)12

achieved a similar outcome by connecting more than 40 healthcare facilities in western Victoria with high-speed access services to provide customised videoconferencing units that enabled rural healthcare facilities to maximise resources by reducing travel demands on doctors and better coordinated support for patients and their families

13

Automated healthcare monitoring is another application that relies on the high bit-rate and bi-directional capabilities of next generation access technologies As medical sensing devices become miniaturised they are following the trend in consumer electronics of being connected to the internet These devices are able to sense monitor and transmit vital patient information in real-time which can assist the patientrsquos doctor in decision-making and the treatment process The capability to transfer important patient medical statistics to the healthcare provider may also result in fewer non-essential clinical visits and give patients more personalised healthcare An example of at-home patient monitoring is a cardiac device that can automatically send vital information to the doctor without any patient intervention using a Wifi connection

14 Over 200000 people worldwide are using remote monitoring of cardiac

devices15

E-education Improvements in the connectivity of computing devices coupled with the proliferation of fixed and wireless next generation access services has facilitated a shift in the way primary secondary and tertiary educational institutions deliver education to students

According to the University of Melbourne students expect to have access to a range of technologies to support their education at any time of the day from any location and on a range of devices

16 These educational services can also support learning at a

distance for some students who want to attend a metropolitan university but for some reason cannot physically attend Monash University describes this process as lsquomoving data rather than moving peoplersquo

17

E-education applications have similarities to those in the e-health environment as they use interactive consultation and emerging haptic applications Haptic applications deliver tactile feedback of remote mechanical mechanisms through local tactile controls and remote sensors Such learning practices may include interactive telepresence conferencing for a virtual classroommdashan online collaborative environment for fellow students to study and have virtual reality experience or third-dimensional learning with haptics These integrated learning services can be facilitated by ubiquitous connectivity and fast data rates shared by the campus and the studentrsquos point of learning The availability of anytime connectivity is also made possible through the use of other next generation applications For example Applersquos iTunes gives

11 NSW Health Submission to the Inquiry into the Role and Potential of the National Broadband Network

Discussion Paper wwwaphgovauhousecommitteeicNBNsubsSub117pdf viewed 5 July 2011 12 Grampians Rural Health Alliance (GRHA) wwwgrampianshealthorgau viewed 5 July 2011 13

Voice and Data lsquoRural health alliance turns to videoconferencingrsquo Vol 10 No 3 May 2011 pp 22 14 Biotronik wwwbiotronikcomwpswcmconnectint_webbiotronikhome viewed 5 July 2011 15 Access Economics An improved HTA economic evaluation framework for Australia May 2009

wwwhealthgovauinternetmainpublishingnsfContenthtareviewshy

039$FILE039_Medical20Technology20Association20of20Australia20pt203pdf viewed 5 July

2011 16 University of Melbourne Inquiry into the role and potential of the National Broadband Network

wwwaphgovauhousecommitteeicNBNsubsSub120pdf viewed 5 July 2011 17 ibid

8 | acma

university lecturers the ability to upload their recorded content for anyone with access to iTunes to receive the content generally free of charge

18

SoHo and teleworking The home computer and mobile phone have had dramatic effects on the profile and flexibility of the workforce Next generation access networks extend connectivity mobility and teleworking applications into the small office home office (SoHo) environment

Developments such as the lsquovirtual officersquo and lsquovirtual desktopsrsquo offer all of the features of a modern office without the need for all staff to be physically located in one office The SoHo teleworker or business will increasingly be able to function as if located in the central office

19

For the SoHo business the equivalent of desktop virtualisation is the acquisition of business applications and services from a cloud application provider Next generation access services enable the SoHo entrepreneur to take advantage of email and other office software from the cloud and pay for only those resources when they are actually required

20

Application security

Security of information becomes an important consideration when using the shared infrastructure of next generation networks A common teleworking concern about the security and segregation of business traffic from other domestic traffic can be addressed through the use of a lsquozerorsquo or thin client host and a virtual private network (VPN) A thin client is a computer program that provides a virtual window to applications and content contained on another computer known as a server A VPN ensures secure and reliable communications over open shared networks such as the internet

Security can be implemented in a number of ways depending on the application the type of user and application restrictions required These technically based mechanisms may be applied to different layers within the next generation architecture

The IPSec VPN establishes a secure encrypted lsquotunnelrsquo from a remote site to a central site

21 As it is implemented at the network layer all traffic for that connection is

secured IPSec is the set of security extensions to the internet protocol developed by the IETF

22 IPSec tends to be used for secure connectivity of separate sites within an

organisation It impacts on the configuration of the clients and servers

Consequently SoHo teleworkers and mobile workers are moving towards a less complex session-based or secure sockets layer (SSL) VPNs

23 As SSL VPNs are

implemented at the application layer the secure VPN traffic can be interleaved with the userrsquos traffic that may be simultaneously sharing the same internet connection An advantage of an SSL VPN is that it does not require additional software to be installed

18 Applersquos iTunes U wwwapplecomeducationitunes-u viewed 5 July 2011 19 Small Office Home Office (SoHo) httpsearchmobilecomputingtechtargetcomdefinitionSmall-Officeshy

Home-Office viewed 5 July 2011 20 PRWeb wwwprwebcomreleases201103prweb5205894htm Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud

httpawsamazoncomec2 Microsoft Windows Azure wwwmicrosoftcomwindowsazure 21 Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol wwwciscocomenUSdocsios12_0t12_0t1featureguidel2tpThtml viewed

5 July 2011 22 An Introduction to IP Security (IPSec) Encryption

wwwciscocomenUStechtk583tk372technologies_tech_note09186a0080094203shtml viewed 5 July

2011 23 VeriSign Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) How it works wwwverisigncomausslssl-information-centerhowshy

ssl-security-works viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 9

as it can use the web browser as the client It is used for browser-based home banking and e-commerce applications

Video and voice

Next generation access networks support video telephony HD voice and telepresence applications which all contribute to a successful teleworking experience

With next generation access connectivity the voice transmission quality is based on efficient use of digital pathways rather than coping with the restricted transmission capabilities of twisted copper pair

HD voice employs wideband codecs which add significantly to the clarity and tonal quality of the communication G722 is the broadband codec standard for HD voice and it can be found both in high-end handsets and some non-branded IP phones

24

G7222 also known as adaptive multi-rate wideband (AMR-WB) is increasingly being used for mobile handsets to improve the quality of experience

25 The adaptive nature

of AMR-WB is typical of next generation services as it reflects the adjustment of the quality of the voice service for the bit rate feasible for a specific connection Work is also nearing completion in the IETF Codec working group on the Opus codec which is planned to have multiple operating modes to accommodate many different applicationsmdashfrom extremely low-latency high-quality links between production studios to voice applications on very low bit-rate channels

Video is the key to creating a better office-like experience through the use of telepresence to provide for face-to-face meetings Telepresence delivered over next generation networks enables high-quality bi-directional connectivity of video and audio this coupled with a customised environment to create a same room experience including eye-to-eye contact is what sets telepresence apart from traditional video conferencing

These systems are becoming less costly and smarter employing centralised video routers that not only monitor all end points in a meeting but also match the capabilities of each end point with the current state of the window or pane in which the image is viewed The telepresence system adaptively changes the audio and visual resolution in response to the conference participation activity of each location

26 With next

generation access services the link to a location can be optimised for a more immersive experience allowing for multi-site conferences in a SoHo environment

27

Telepresence is a focus in international standardisation activities Standardisation efforts are currently underway within ITU ndash Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Study Group 16

28 the Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP) Activity

Group (TIP was developed by Cisco Systems) within the International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium

29 and the ControLling mUltiple streams for

tElepresence (CLUE) working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)30

24 G722 7 KHz audio-coding within 64 Kbits wwwituintrecT-REC-G722e viewed 5 July 2011 25 G7222 Wideband coding of speech at around 16 kbits using Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband (AMR-WB)

wwwituintrecT-REC-G7222-200307-Ien viewed 5 July 2011 26 H264 Advanced video coding for generic audiovisual services wwwituintrecT-REC-H264-201003shy

Ien viewed 5 July 2011 27 Vidyo wwwvidyocomserviceindexphp viewed 5 July 2011 28 ITU-T Question 516 ndash Telepresence systems wwwituintITU-Tstudygroupscom16sg16-q5html

viewed 5 July 2011 29 Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIP) Activity Group wwwimtcorgactivity_groupstipasp viewed

5 July 2011 30 ControLling mUltiple streams for tElepresence (clue) Working Group

wwwietforgproceedings80cluehtml viewed 5 July 2011

10 | acma

lephony fullfore the availability of next generation accesssignal degradation in transmission were mproved transmission provided by NGNs enablesra and display features

elopments in next generation access netvity

ll of wireless blackspots in buildings usingrovide mobile phone covre mobile network via thecess networks are facilitating femtocell adoptionork coverage is needed A highand data services at a predictable fixed locationobileices from the macroin the

or mobile worker is the proposed smaller versionl femtocell oration for mobile phonest access The attocell relays phone calls anddband connection and allows mobile phones tor charges and operate as if on their hometwork operator might allow an internationalUSB to their notebook computer in their hotel

to the hotelrsquos Wiis home mobile networkt connecting torges The attocell extends the reach of a local

and connection to anywhere in the world Bothnderlying access to support connectivity

uisys

comaudafilesOCAOptusHomeHomeRedesignmobile

aming costs on iPhone

l

5427667113inphotostream

With both telepresence and video tquality of the camera or webcam Bservices bandwidth restrictions anddeterminants of video quality The ibetter use of the capabilities of cam

There are considerable ongoing deinfrastructure to extend the connect s

hese developments include the infsmall cells intended to

and connect to the cconnection Next generation fixed a

netcustomers access both voic

operator to offload data or voice seremtocell solutio

Of more relevance to the teleworkepower person

range small base s(via USB) to a computer with internmobile internet access over the bro

international roaming or othFor example a mobile n

traveller to connect their attocell viak was connecte

via ifn

roaming chmobile cellular network via a broadfemtocells and attocells extend the

Ubi

wwwoptus

Personal femtocell to cut r

iphoneht

wwwflickrcomphotosubiquisy

|

determinants of video quality The improved transmission provided by NGNs enable

optic fixed access and mobile wirele

broadbandconnection Next generation fixed access networks are facilitating femtocell adoption

customers access both voice and data services at a predictable fixed locationetwork operator femtocells may allow th

Of more relevance to the teleworker or mobile worker is the proposed smaller versio

and only be charged a

With both telepresence and video te elephony full HD clarity is also influenced by the quality of the camera or webcam Be efore the availability of next generation access services bandwidth restrictions and signal degradation in transmission were major determinants of video quality The im mproved transmission provided by NGNs enables s better use of the capabilities of came era and display features

Extending connectivity services

There are considerable ongoing dev velopments in next generation access network infrastructure to extend the connecti ivity of fibre-optic fixed access and mobile wireles ss broadband networks

These developments include the infiill of wireless blackspots in buildings using femtocellsmdashsmall cells intended to p provide mobile phone coverage within a single small building and connect to the co ore mobile network via the customerrsquos broadband connection Next generation fixed ac ccess networks are facilitating femtocell adoption where additional indoor mobile netw work coverage is needed A high proportion of mobile customers access both voice e and data services at a predictable fixed location n such as the home or work For the mmobile network operator femtocells may allow the e operator to offload data or voice servvices from the macro-cellular network Optus is currently offering a femtocell solution n in the Australian consumer market

31

Of more relevance to the teleworker r or mobile worker is the proposed smaller version n of a femtocellmdasha low-power persona al femtocell or attocell (see Figure 3) An attocell has a very short-range small base sttation for mobile phones that can be connected (via USB) to a computer with interne et access The attocell relays phone calls and mobile internet access over the broa adband connection and allows mobile phones to bypass international roaming or othe er charges and operate as if on their home network

32 For example a mobile ne etwork operator might allow an international

traveller to connect their attocell via USB to their notebook computer in their hotel room If the notebook was connectedd to the hotelrsquos Wifi service the guest could call home using a mobile telephone via hhis home mobile network and only be charged as s if making a call from home thereby no ot connecting to another carriers mobile network and avoiding expensive roaming cha arges The attocell extends the reach of a local mobile cellular network via a broadb band connection to anywhere in the world Both femtocells and attocells extend the u underlying access to support connectivity applications

Figure 3 Attocell prototypemdashUbiq quisys femtocell technology

Source Ubiquisys33

31 Optus Optus 3G Phone Zone wwwoptuscomaudafilesOCAOptusHomeHomeRedesignmobileshy

phoneshomezone viewed 7 October 2011 32 All VoIP News Personal femtocell to cut ro oaming costs on iPhone wwwallvoipnewscompersonalshy

femtocell-to-cut-roaming-costs-on-iphonehtm ml viewed 5 July 2011 33 Ubiquisys wwwflickrcomphotosubiquisyss5427667113inphotostream viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 11

Connectivity applications are fundamental to the exchange of information over next generation networks For users they provide anytime and anywhere access to both traditional communications services such as voice and emerging converged services that are changing the way we work and live For industry there is the challenge of migration innovation and creation of services to capitalise on the opportunities of ubiquitous connectivity As more people and things are being connected we are likely to see a corresponding growth in this type of application

12 | acma

4 Collaboration

Collaborative applications provide the means for people regardless of location to share discuss innovate create value or produce information Collaborative applications rely on the high-speed network connections of next generation access services along with access to cloud computing for data storage and management Many of these applications most notably social media applications are both device-agnostic and platform-independent which reduces take-up barriers and encourages their use

Generally cloud-hosted collaborative applications can be characterised by features of next generation access networks such as general mobility support for a wide range of services and unfettered user access to multiple providers Smartphone and tablet devices complement the access network features in providing media such as pictures and recorded video that can be uploaded blogged and immediately presented in a common and collaborative place

The continued expansion of collaborative next generation applications in the personal social and enterprise landscapesmdashthrough the use of multiple last-mile technologies and interworking with existing networksmdashhas implications for the way that information is created distributed managed and consumed

Cloud applications Cloud computing is challenging the service model of installing an application on a local computer or purchasing dedicated infrastructure Cloud computing is not just the delivery of remotely hosted computing it also encompasses the provision of collaborative device-agnostic applications and services

There is a number of common cloud applications in general use by consumers These include webmail social networking and data storage from various providers Skype is a well-known cloud application that provides voice and video communication services Recent integration with Facebook allows Skype to be an online application without having to install software For the user the service is provided by a process that will operate as long as the user has internet access

Assisted global positioning system (GPS) is another cloud-based application Satellite signal recognition and the necessary calculation could be provided from a remote server to enable a faster acquisition and fix of the userrsquos location The user may not be aware that a remote server is involved in assisting the GPS process Users familiar with standalone GPS units expect GPS to be integrated into their devices

Skype and assisted GPS show different aspects of cloud applications With Skype the user is aware of external assistance but is indifferent to the location of the server providing that assistance With assisted GPS the service is provided with a facility and smoothness that may lead the user to believe that the service is entirely provided from the userrsquos handheld device

Google Docs is another cloud application that provides word processing spreadsheet and presentation applications in a web browser

34 Google Docs also features a

collaborative function to allow multiple users from disparate locations to work together on the same document at the same time

35 Whiteboard collaboration sites

36 37such as Dabbleboard and Stixy allow users to create a personalised space by

34 Google Docs httpdocsgooglecom viewed 5 July 2011 35 Google Apps for Business wwwgooglecomappsintlenbusinesscollaborationhtml viewed 5 July 2011 36 Dabble Board wwwdabbleboardcom viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 13

dragging widgets such as notes to-do lists and photos to be shared with other people

The Cloud Foundry an open source Platform as a Service (PaaS) supports developers in choosing a cloud environment suited to building their software applications

38 The Cloud Foundry service aims to negate the need for software

developers who are collaborating on a project to be concerned with the underlying infrastructure as all services they require are facilitated from within the cloud

Cloud-based applications enable new services to be acquired quickly and provide cost savings for business These cost savings may be realised when applications are shared across a number of units within a company or different users The speed of next generation access services is necessary for users to acquire many applications and to have a richer experience when using them

Concerns remain about privacy and security in cloud computing One report states that over 80 per cent of those organisations with more than 1000 employees in the US have at least one cloud-enabled service yet concerns about the security of their content remain a barrier for them to take up further cloud services

39 Richard Stallman

an advocate for free software and the founder of the Free Software Foundation40

argues that cloud applications also referred to as Software as a Service (SaaS) wrests some direct control from the user

41

Social media The rise of social media would be difficult to imagine without wide access to next generation access networks The ability to network existing applications information converged devices and people has provided rich opportunities for application developers to link resources in an environment of collaboration

Blogs and microblogs allow a user to create and share a personal kind of news that interests both the author and other like-minded individuals People blog about news current affairs or technology or simply share their opinion on any given topic Readers of the blog may then provide their own thoughts or share ideas and in so doing create a collaborative experience between the blogrsquos author and its readers

With the availability of wireless broadband bloggers are now just as likely to blog lsquoon the gorsquo using their laptops tablet devices or smartphones Wordpress

42 a popular

blogging website has developed a tablet application that encourages this practice43

Twittermdashwhere people can share short updates of events to anybody connected to the internetmdashis the most widely known microblogging application

44 Initially users were

only able to compose lsquotweetsrsquo from a computer connected to the internet with users in the US then able to use the SMS function in their mobile phones to post messages

45

Now with the prevalence of smartphones and next generation wireless access

37 Stixy wwwstixycom viewed 5 July 2011 38 The Cloud Foundry wwwcloudfoundrycom viewed 5 July 2011 39 Management Insight Technologies The Arrival of Cloud Thinking November 2010

wwwcacom~mediafileswhitepapersthe_arrival_of_cloud_thinkingaspx viewed 5 July 2011 40 Free Software Foundation wwwfsforg viewed 5 July 2011 41 Richard Stallman Who does that server really serve 18 March 2010 wwwgnuorgphilosophywhoshy

does-that-server-really-servehtml viewed 5 July 2011 42 Wordpress wwwwordpressorg viewed 5 July 2011 43 Wordpress for Applersquos iOS httpioswordpressorg viewed 5 July 2011 44 Twitter httptwittercom viewed 5 July 2011 45 Twitter blog Introducing Fast Follow and other SMS tips 10 August 2010

httpblogtwittercom201008introducing-fast-follow-and-other-smshtml viewed 5 July 2011

14 | acma

services users can post whenever and wherever they choose and link recipients to rich multimedia applications more easily than previously

Social networking applications have fostered social collaboration allowing users to keep in touch with friends or associates be informed of events and arrange social gatherings Staying connected is becoming the imperative in the social landscape Smartphones and tablets have extended the lsquoalways connectedrsquo feature to usersrsquo social lives while lsquoon the gorsquo As social networking sites continue to evolve and provide users with more rich media content such as instant uploads of photos and videos from a mobile device the need for more bandwidth over the wireless environment is expected to rise

46

Visual collaborative applications Collaborative applications such as blogs wikis and text-centric instant messaging have been used to share thoughts and ideas using words and pictures Video communication links now provide the mechanism for people to communicate either at work or socially with each other more fully and in real-time Although visual collaboration is not a new technique the recent rise of next generation access services has seen a transition from low-quality one-to-one communication limited by low bandwidth access to an immersive group-to-group HD visual and audio experience

High-quality immersive audio is a requirement for group-to-group audiovisual collaboration when a request to repeat or clarify some point made during the conversation may frustrate the groupsrsquo dynamics This is in contrast with one-to-one discussion where repetition or re-phrasing may impact on just the two people involved and serve to avoid misunderstandings As humans can sense and locate sound sources in spatial dimensions immersive audio can help a participant to locate the speaker if more than one visual screen is used Examples of some applications taking advantage of next generation access services include Skype group video calling for individual home-users and the professional Cisco telepresence system

The data rate requirements for HD group visual collaboration may be difficult to achieve with traditional wireless technologies Some fixed-line networks such as the various classes of asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) technologies may not meet the bandwidth requirements due to the high upload data rates required For example Ciscorsquos home telepresence system requires a minimum 35 Mbps upload and download for a full 1080p HD video call and 15 Mbps upload and download for a 720p video call

47 Skypersquos group video-calling recommended data rates are

gt 512 kbps upload and 2 Mbps downloadmdashfor a group of three people

gt 512 kbps upload and 4 Mbps downloadmdashfor a group of five people

gt 512 kbps upload and 8 Mbps downloadmdashfor a group of seven or more people48

Video traffic is expected to become the dominant driver for more bandwidth in the near future with some predicting that 90 per cent of all network traffic to be video by 2015

49

The additional upstream capacity offered by next generation access networks provides the capability for fully immersive group-to-group visual collaboration Significant

46 Google Plus wwwgooglecom+demo viewed 5 July 2011 47 Cisco Cisco ūmi The new way to be together data sheet

httphomedownloadsciscocomdownloadsdatasheet1224664394739umi_Data_Sheet_enUSpdf viewed

5 July 2011 48 Skype How much bandwidth does Skype need httpssupportskypecomen-usfaqFA1417Howshy

much-bandwidth-does-Skype-need viewed 5 July 2011 49 Cisco Cisco Visual Networking Index Forecast and Methodology 2010-2015

wwwciscocomenUSsolutionscollateralns341ns525ns537ns705ns827white_paper_c11shy

481360_ns827_Networking_Solutions_White_Paperhtml viewed 7 August 2011

acma | 15

changes in consumer communications are expected when there is a higher proportion of users with next generation access service connections that will support group-toshygroup visual collaboration

50

50 Verizon Investor Quarterly ndash Third Quarter 2010 states that lsquoby the end of the third quarter Verizon had

39 million FiOS internet and 33 million FiOS TV customersrsquo

httpinvestorverizoncomfinancialquarterlyvz3Q20103Q10Bulletinpdf viewed 5 July 2011

16 | acma

5 Distributed applications

Distributed applications combine the resources of thousands of individual computers to harness computing power to solve complex problems Because a distributed application system segments a large task into many small discrete tasks computers anywhere in the world can each perform these discrete tasks simultaneously to reduce computation time from years to months or even days Next generation access networks make distributed applications possible by providing the connecting infrastructure to utilise the disparate computing resources Next generation IP technology also provides the common bridge for the interaction of components of applications

Google has a next-generation computing platform That platform is optimised to deliver virtual applications to its users worldwide Google uses grid-like technology within its distributed computing system

51

Distributed grid computing Distributed grid computing is able to harness the unused central processing unit (CPU) cycles of a computer to perform complex operations

52 Gartner has identified next

generation analytics as a top 10 strategic technology for 2012 lsquoAnalytics is also beginning to shift to the cloud and exploit cloud resources for high performance and grid computingrsquo

53 As shown in Figure 4 distributed grid computing employs a

resource manager or scheduler function to break down a very large problem into discrete tasks and then distribute each task among thousands of ordinary desktop computers or even high-end servers Distributed grid computing is also referred to as volunteer or public computing as computer users volunteer their computing resources for a project

51 Stephen E Arnold The Google Legacy Chapter 3 lsquoGoogle Technologyrsquo

wwwinfonorticscompublicationsgoogletechnologypdf viewed 11 October 2011 52 OpenGrid Forum wwwgridforumorgAboutabt_overviewphp viewed 20 October 2011 53 Gartner lsquoGartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2012rsquo media release 18 October 2011

wwwgartnercomitpagejspid=1826214 viewed 20 October 2011

acma | 17

Figure 4 Distributed computing model

By installing a software agent application on their computer users can make it available for distributed computing When the computer is idle the agent will request a task from the resource manager and upon completion send the results back Next generation access networks have made it possible to connect and harness the power of disparate resources through distributed computing

Security

Distributed computing requires users to download and compile a software agent on their computers which then send processed data to a central server There are a number of security concerns with this process

54 such as those outlined by the

Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC) developers of the open source software agent used in many distributed computing projects

55 It is not always

apparent whether or not the correct data or what type of data is being transferred back to the main distributed computing servers

The distributed computing model has been developed in a trusted environment where users can share their computing resources but there is also the risk of opportunistic attacks which could compromise personal information A method to mitigate security concerns of potential volunteers is a process known as lsquosandboxingrsquo in which a segregated environment is created on a volunteerrsquos computer that limits the agentrsquos ability to access files or applications outside that environment

56

54 Security issues in volunteer computing httpboincberkeleyedutracwikiSecurityIssues viewed 5 July

2011 55 Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC) httpboincberkeleyedu viewed 5 July

2011 56 Sandboxing wwwkernelthreadcompublicationssecuritysandboxinghtml viewed 5 July 2011

18 | acma

Motivation

To solve complex problems researchers were and still are required to utilise highly complex and expensive supercomputers Distributed computing can realise greater processing power than that available from a single supercomputer and provides researchers with a flexible cost-efficient way of performing complex calculations

Computer processing power continues to increase with microchip manufacturers now producing multi-core processors to allow for parallel processing

57 This type of

architecture can now be found in most new consumer-grade computers According to IBM a typical user only utilises about 10ndash15 per cent of a computerrsquos processing power

58 The software agent may utilise the multi-core processing architecture and

allocate computing resources for distributed computing applications thereby making more efficient use of the computer and possibly reducing calculation times The consequence of this increase in the computing power of personal-use computers is the increase in the resources available for distributed computing projects

High-speed fixed and wireless broadband access makes it quicker for a task to be sent to a volunteered computer and the results returned to the server As the processing speeds of computers increase the latency associated with sending and receiving data becomes more significant Consequently high-speed access is an important factor in making distributed computing projects more viable

Projects and applications

A number of distributed computing projects aim to achieve significant social benefit such as the Foldinghome project which seeks to understand protein folding (linked to diseases such as Alzheimerrsquos Huntingtonrsquos and Parkinsonrsquos)

59 The World

Community Grid60

has a number of humanitarian projects underway such as gaining an insight into and enhancing water-filtering materials for the estimated 12 billion people who lack safe drinking water

61 or finding new materials for solar cells and

energy storage devices62

Next generation access networks have paved the way for bandwidth-intensive applications to be distributed throughout the internet using a unified IP-based architecture As next generation access networks become more pervasive people are increasingly more willing to be always connected to the internet Distributed computing can take advantage of the lsquoalways connected always availablersquo access of millions of personal computers and devices around the world to continually harvest utilise and share resources throughout the distributed computing grid

57 Intel FAQ What is multi-core architecture httpsoftwareintelcomen-usarticlesfrequently-askedshy

questions-intel-multi-core-processor-architecture viewed 5 July 2011 58 IBM How it Works World Community Grid podcast transcript 13 February 2007

wwwibmcompodcastshowitworks021307imagesHIW_12102008_trpdf viewed 20 May 2011 59 Foldinghome httpfoldingstanfordedu viewed 5 July 2011 60 World Community Grid wwwworldcommunitygridorg viewed 5 July 2011 61 World Community Grid Computing for Clean Water

wwwworldcommunitygridorgresearchc4cwoverviewdo viewed 5 July 2011 62 World Community Grid The Clean Energy Project Phase 2

wwwworldcommunitygridorgresearchcep2overviewdo viewed 30 July 2011

acma | 19

6 Issues for regulation

The challenge for regulation is to accommodate

gt the changes in the technologies used to provide services

gt the fragmentation of service components across different service providers and service initiation agreements

gt the different techniques that can be used to deliver services and applications in the next generation environment

Increased complexity The provision of a multipurpose access connection is a feature of next generation access services This access service may be the platform on which a number and variety of carriage services are provided to a number of users in the same premises The access service provider may not be aware of the services being provided or the identity of the users

In the legacy access environment it is a simple task to identify the CSP and the party to which the carriage service is provided In the residential market a carriage service is provided to an individual and any others at the residence for their use All services are provided by an access provider which charges for the telecommunications services acquired

In the next generation access environment the supply chain is fragmented with possible contributions from access providers CSPs carriers content service providers retail service providers (RSP) and the customer From a user perspective many elements in the supply chain will not be known or will be beyond the userrsquos control For example a user may use a smartphone to make a VoIP call via a Wifi network while at a cafe The call uses the cafersquos Wifi infrastructure and internet service to authenticate with the userrsquos service on a server that could be located anywhere The call then can be carried via a number of packet networks before reaching its destination which could be on a legacy network Such a call can use private carrier internet and legacy networks for carriage and be initiated by a service anywhere in the world

User awareness and the ability to exercise control at relevant points in the supply chain becomes more important in this environment when the intelligence of a device (for example a smartphone) incorporates decisions of if when and what network and with what content a communication link may be created

As the provision and use of applications and services increases in complexity any necessary regulatory action may need to be targeted directly to particular service features or where it is more difficult to regulate an associated piece of infrastructure or an associated service provider the use of those features This highlights the need for flexible regulatory tools to adjust to the widening range of service options available in a next generation access environment

Increased fragmentation Next generation access services create a situation where users may be using terminal devices that are multi-functional and always connected Historically being connected required specification of the object to which an entity was connected but with next generation access connection is expected to be unlimited in scope That is there is a capability to connect with any device anywhere at any time The connection could be to a printer in the next room or to a camera in another continent For the user the connection to a distant location that involves the use of a carriage service could be an

20 | acma

unconscious activity A user may be aware of acquiring a video stream from a remote location but may not be aware that some features of an application are being provided from the cloud or will trigger certain telecommunication activities

For example a mathematical or image processing application could use software and the capabilities of the local processor from the local terminal for routine requirements but could use a remote processor for the computational lsquoheavy liftingrsquo This switch from using local to remote facilities could be hidden from the user

63 The speed with

which an application can request and receive a response may disguise the fact that there has been some use of a carriage service

Some telecommunication regulations assume that the provision of a service can be related to a specific carriage service or CSP Such assumptions may no longer be valid in a next generation access environment where the relationship between services and carriage may not be fixed or known Where an application simply responds to a request without adding informationmdashfor example when performing a GPS calculationmdashit may need to be differentiated from an application that provides additional information to the user such as including map and traffic conditions in calculating an expected arrival time

User-centric responses With intelligence and memory in smartphones and other devices instructions or permissions can be acted on months or years after a user has installed an application The user may then knowingly or unknowingly permit a telecommunications service to be initiated Regulation generally addresses conscious activities that have an immediate impact or an impact in the near future However programmable devices may permit delayed actions actions triggered by the activities of another party and actions unwittingly permitted that occur independently of the customerndashCSP relationship For example smartphone or tablet applications may collect device or location information Even though the user accepted a licence agreement he or she may be unaware of when or how a connection is being initiated in the transmission of the acquired data

Any future interventions many need to take into account the specific circumstances of end user licence agreements For example it may not be sufficient to ascertain who ticked a box when agreeing to an end user licence agreement if the problematic communication was outside the userrsquos awareness If the active user of a device does not have full knowledge of a connection in terms of the parties connected the timing and the content then the customer paying for the service or an ISP providing access may consider they are not responsible for the connection

These service delivery arrangements highlight a growing need for consumer information and awareness of contractual and service obligations and a capacity to take action with relevant service providers where redress may be required

63 See the reference to lsquounconscious connectivityrsquo in Monica Alleven lsquoFrom MWC Is Cellular Always

Necessaryrsquo Wireless Week wwwwirelessweekcomNews201102Business-From-MWC-Cellular-Alwaysshy

Necessary-Shows-and-Conferences viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 21

7 Conclusion

The transition to IP-based access networks that support next generation applications and services is changing the delivery of communications An opportunistic environment has been created where new applications can be implemented first on a small scale to test the market and then globally This has led to a growth of diversity of applications and services for both users and providers

As next generation access becomes increasingly ubiquitous a convergence of communications- media- and internet-based applications is occurring at the application and service level Both the migration of traditional services and the development of new applications and new ways of interacting are part of this process

Next generation access technologies pose challenges for current regulation in various ways Firstly accommodating new service features and applications made available do not necessarily fit in current regulatory frameworks Secondly dealing with the fragmentation of service components across different service providers and service agreements and innovative service delivery arrangements is also testing regulation

The ACMA continues to monitor the developments and convergence of next generation applications and services and welcomes comments on this report

22 | acma

Glossary

3G third generation mobile telecommunications

A broadband mobile telecommunications platform supporting multimedia voice video and data services WCDMA and CDMA2000 are the respective 3G technologies derived from the GSM and CDMA 2G technologies

ACMA Australian Communications and Media Authority

Commonwealth regulatory authority for broadcasting online content radiocommunications and telecommunications with responsibilities under the Broadcasting Services Act

1992 the Radiocommunications Act 1992 the Telecommunications Act 1997 and related Acts Established on 1 July 2005 following a merger of the Australian Communications Authority and the Australian Broadcasting Authority

ADSL Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line

Transmission technique that dramatically increases the digital capacity of telephone lines into the home or office

AMR-WB Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband

See G7222

BOINC Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing

An open source middleware system for volunteer and grid computing

carriage service As defined in the Telecommunications Act 1997 a service for carrying communications by means of guided andor unguided electromagnetic energy

carrier The holder of a carrier licence

cloud In computing the use and access of files services and application through a computer network such as the internet

CLUE ControLling mUltiple streams for tElepresence

An IETF working group that will create specifications for SIP-based conferencing systems namely telepresence

Codec Coder-decoder

A device or software program capable of encoding analogue voice signals into digital bit streams and decoding digital bit streams back into analogue voice signals

CSP carriage service provider

Person supplying or proposing to supply certain carriage services including a commercial entity acquiring telecommunications capacity or services from a carrier for resale to a third party Internet and pay TV service providers fall within the definition of carriage service providers under the Telecommunications Act 1997

e-education electronic education

All forms of electronically supported learning and teaching for personal primary secondary and tertiary education

e-health electronic health

The use in the health sector of digital datamdashtransmitted stored and retrieved electronicallymdashfor clinical educational and administrative purposes both at the local site and at distance

G722 Describes the characteristics of an audio (50 to 7000 Hz) coding system that may be used for a variety of higher quality speech applications

acma | 23

G7222 Describes the high-quality Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband (AMR-WB) encoder and decoder that is primarily intended for 7 kHz bandwidth speech signals AMR-WB operates at a multitude of bit rates ranging from 66 kbits to 2385 kbits

GPS global positioning system

A space-based global navigations satellite system that provides location and timing information

GRHA Grampians Rural Health Alliance

An organisation that supports improved regional health outcomes by providing technology applications and communications solutions to connect the regions health services

haptics Tactile feedback technology

HD Voice high definition voice

See G7222

IETF Internet Engineering Task Force

A large open international community of network designers operators vendors and researchers concerned with the evolution of the internet architecture and the smooth operation of the internet

internet A large heterogeneous collection of interconnected systems that can be used for communication of many different types between any interested parties connected to it The term includes both the lsquocore rsquointernetrsquo (ISP networks) and lsquoedge internetrsquo (corporate and private networks often connected via firewalls NAT boxes application layer gateways and similar devices) The internet is a truly global network reaching into just about every country in the world See RFC 3935

IPSec Internet Protocol Security

A set of security extensions to the internet protocol

ISP internet service provider

ITU International Telecommunications Union

An intergovernmental organisation within which the public and private sectors cooperate for the development of telecommunications

ITU-T Telecommunication Standardization Sector

The duties of the ITU-T are to study technical operating and tariff questions and to issue recommendations on them with a view to standardising telecommunications on a worldwide basis This included recommendations on terrestrial networks interconnection with radiocommunication systems in public telecommunication networks and the performance required for these interconnections

NBN National Broadband Network

An Australian Government initiative that will deliver high-speed broadband to all Australians The NBN is a new wholesale-only open access high-speed broadband network

NGN A Next Generation Networks (NGN) is a packet-based network able to provide Telecommunication Services to users and able to make use of multiple broadband quality of service-enabled transport technologies and in which service-related functions are independent of the underlying transport-related technologies It enables unfettered access for users to networks and to competing service providers

24 | acma

and services of their choice It supports generalised mobility which will allow consistent and ubiquitous provision of services to users

NICTA National ICT Australia

Established in 2002 to address a long-term structural under-investment in strategic information and communications technology research that had impacted on Australiarsquos ability to fully capture the productivity and transformational benefits that information and communications technology capability can deliver

NSW Health New South Wales Health

Supports the executive and statutory roles of the NSW Minister for Health and monitors the performance of the NSW public health system

PaaS Platform as a Service

Provides a user with all the infrastructure needs to run applications over the internet

PCEHR Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record

A secure electronic record of a personrsquos medical history stored and shared in a network of connected systems

RFC Request for Comments

A set of documents used by the IETF as the primary vehicle for communicating information with regards to TCPIP protocols

RSP retail service provider

Retail network service providers and applicationcontent service providers provide services to end users and have a direct customer relationship with the end users

SaaS Software as a Service

A software delivery model where software and any associated data is stored on a server and can be accessed by users over the network or the internet

SFOA Standard Form of Agreement

Improves the level of information disclosure to customers of carriage service providers who provide services in accordance with standard forms of agreement

smartphone A mobile phone offering advanced capabilities and computing functionality

SSL Secure Socket Layer

A security protocol that is integrated into web browsers to provide encryption and authentication services between the userrsquos browsers and a website

SoHo Small Office Home Office

A term used to denote where a user can be at home or in a small office and communicate with servers within the enterprise network

TIP Telepresence Interoperability Protocol

A protocol focused on improving the interoperability of high-end video conferencing systems between different vendors

telepresence In computer networking the ability to connect geographically separated people via high-quality audio and video streams

thin client A computer that relies on a server to perform the data processing and only shows the user the end result

virtualisation A technique that allows multiple operating systems (or virtual machines) to run on a single physical machine

acma | 25

VPN virtual private network

A set of security protocols that allows devices to send and receive data securely over the internet

Wifi wireless fidelity

A wireless networking standard used for connecting devices to a computer network

26 | acma

Canberra Purple Building Benjamin Offices Chan Street Belconnen ACT

PO Box 78 Belconnen ACT 2616

T +61 2 6219 5555 F +61 2 6219 5353

Melbourne Level 44 Melbourne Central Tower 360 Elizabeth Street Melbourne VIC

PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne VIC 8010

T +61 3 9963 6800 F +61 3 9963 6899

Sydney Level 5 The Bay Centre 65 Pirrama Road Pyrmont NSW

PO Box Q500 Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230

T +61 2 9334 7700 1800 226 667

F +61 2 9334 7799

copy Commonwealth of Australia 2011 This work is copyright Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced

by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction

and rights should be addressed to the Manager Editorial Services Australian Communications and Media Authority PO Box 13112 Law Courts Melbourne Vic 8010

Published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority

Contents

Executive summary 1

1 Methodology 3

2 Introduction 4





7 Conclusion 22

Glossary 23

acma | iii

Executive summary










acma | 1



2 | acma

1 Methodology











acma | 3

2 Introduction






4 | acma







acma | 5

3 Connectivity



1 NGN connectivity







6 | acma







4


5






9


10












viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 7





13



devices15





17









8 | acma


18



19


20










23 As SSL VPNs are









acma | 9


Video and voice




24






26 With next


27












10 | acma







uisys



l












via ifn


Ubi

wwwoptus


iphoneht


|











31





Source Ubiquisys33




acma | 11


12 | acma

4 Collaboration














acma | 13







39 Richard Stallman



41




42 a popular





45






14 | acma



46









49








acma | 15


50




16 | acma




51









acma | 17



Security




55 It is not always



56




18 | acma

Motivation



57 This type of







59 The World

Community Grid60










acma | 19












20 | acma



63 The speed with









acma | 21

7 Conclusion





22 | acma

Glossary









See G7222








Codec Coder-decoder









acma | 23








See G7222














24 | acma




























acma | 25





26 | acma

3 Connectivity



1 NGN connectivity







6 | acma







4


5






9


10












viewed 5 July 2011

acma | 7





13



devices15





17









8 | acma


18



19


20










23 As SSL VPNs are









acma | 9


Video and voice




24






26 With next


27












10 | acma







uisys



l












via ifn


Ubi

wwwoptus


iphoneht


|











31





Source Ubiquisys33




acma | 11


12 | acma

4 Collaboration














acma | 13







39 Richard Stallman



41




42 a popular





45






14 | acma



46









49








acma | 15


50




16 | acma




51









acma | 17



Security




55 It is not always



56




18 | acma

Motivation



57 This type of







59 The World

Community Grid60










acma | 19












20 | acma



63 The speed with









acma | 21

7 Conclusion





22 | acma

Glossary









See G7222








Codec Coder-decoder









acma | 23








See G7222














24 | acma




























acma | 25





26 | acma

Glossary









See G7222








Codec Coder-decoder









acma | 23








See G7222














24 | acma




























acma | 25





26 | acma








See G7222














24 | acma




























acma | 25





26 | acma




























acma | 25





26 | acma





26 | acma

developments in next generation applications and services

Documents