Geneva, 25 November 2011 Peering arrangements between video relay providers Jeff McWhinney Managing Director SignVideo ITU-T Workshop on “Telecommunications relay services for persons with disabilities ” (Geneva, 25 November 2011)

Recommendation ITU-T D.50 International Internet Connection recommends that administrations take appropriate measures nationally to ensure that parties (including operating agencies authorized by Member States) involved in the provision of international Internet connections negotiate and agree to bilateral commercial arrangements, or other arrangements as agreed between administrations, enabling direct international Internet connections that take into account the possible need for compensation between them for the value of elements such as traffic flow, number of routes, geographical coverage and cost of international transmission, and the possible application of network externalities, amongst others; Geneva, 25 November

Current situation for VR users Technical issues No incentive for VR providers to facilitate national and/or international peering arrangements Lack of progress in VR standards leading to VR services on proprietary platforms Proprietary platforms creating exclusive silos (i.e. Skype, ooVoo etc) Geneva, 25 November

Current situation for VR users Consumer issues Hearing users excluded from VR user networks – the ethics?? Lack of competition often leading to: lack of choice resulting in poorer services slow take up of newer technologies complacency especially in services for disadvantaged communities Inability to make direct video calls Two deaf people get two VR services involved in a single call(!) Geneva, 25 November

The solution as used in the States FCC order (FCC ) of June Appoints Neustar (NANP register) Relay Providers to comply by December 31, 2008 Includes provision for emergency number dialling uses the industry standard ENUM protocol (IETF’s rfc3401-rfc3404) But… Does not allow point to point international video calls Does not allow non VRS registered video calls Geneva, 25 November

Next steps… Request ITU-T Geneva, 25 November