Fall 2021
From ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller
The work that is advancing ICT industry transformation takes place at ATIS. From our Next G Alliance, which is charting the course to 6G and beyond, to our many other initiatives, ATIS is where the ICT industry collaborates. The ATIS Update highlights our recent innovations and their impact. More at www.atis.org.
Advancing the North American 6G Vision
ATIS' Next G Alliance is making tremendous advances to shape the 6G future. In less than a year, it has brought together industry, academia and government in a collaborative, industry-driven initiative to position North America at the forefront of wireless technology development — for the next decade and beyond.
One key Next G Alliance deliverable is the National 6G Roadmap, anticipated in January 2022. Beyond delivering North America's first comprehensive 6G vision, the Roadmap also defines the critical steps to achieving that vision. It will address applications, markets, national imperatives, technology development and more.
The Next G Alliance is completing the first comprehensive set of recommendations to guide ICT companies in advancing critical innovations already underway in the industry to improve energy efficiency and build environmental sustainability into future generations of wireless technology.
A recently delivered Next G Alliance contribution to the ITU-R is already helping shape IMT-2030, the vision recommendation for the next generation of radio interface.
Strategic Initiatives
The ATIS 5G Supply Chain working group is advancing
the first-ever supply chain standard that can be operationalized to deliver assured 5G networks. Expected in early 2022, it will serve to secure the 5G supply chain in both the public and private sectors.
Quantum-computing makes advancements possible across applications in cryptography, AI and machine learning. But, these benefits also pose challenges. Through ATIS, experts are examining quantum computing's security implications and developing a quantum-safe roadmap for the industry.
Why Now is the Time for Industry to Start Assessing the Future of Voice Services
Voice capabilities are an increasingly vital part of communications. Think voice assistants, smart devices, gaming and other machine-driven applications. A new Voice Architecture initiative is slated to start in 2022 to explore how operators can deliver a high-quality voice experience across a range of new applications. To join contact Nicole Butler.
ATIS is examining how telecom operators can leverage innovation in self-sovereign identity to not only comply with privacy regulation, but also create new business opportunities.
A new ATIS specification enables enterprises to establish verifiable credentials for their identity and the telephone numbers they use by applying distributed ledger technology and its cryptographic principles.
ATIS Solutions Come in Many Different Forms -- and Fora
To learn about the industry's future, learn more about the work coming out of our:
Robocalling Mitigation
Nearly 400 service providers are now participating in SHAKEN, an essential means for advancing industry’s goal of mitigating illegal robocalling. Still, the ATIS Secure Telephone Identity Governance Authority (STI-GA) is focused on growing participation in the SHAKEN ecosystem and on ensuring the SHAKEN framework is funded through 2022.  Greater provider participation means more calls are being authenticated. This means a reduction in illegal caller ID spoofing in the U.S.

The STI-GA recently launched new functionality, expanding caller ID authentication reach with the use of delegate certificates and allowing Resp Orgs, the companies responsible for assigning toll-free telephone numbers, to directly join the SHAKEN ecosystem.

Delegate certificates allow providers to better determine the proper level of “attestation” for a call, or a caller’s right to use a certain phone number, for providers that choose to use them. Allowing Resp Orgs to directly join the SHAKEN ecosystem creates a path for entities that use toll-free numbers to receive the top level of attestation for outbound calls. Moving forward, the STI-GA and other ATIS fora will actively continue to refine the industry-driven means to combat illegal robocalling.
Advancing SHAKEN Implementation
ATIS' IP-NNI Task Force has recently released a new version of the Standard on Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs (SHAKEN). It provides telephone service providers with a framework and guidance on how to use Secure Telephone Identity (STI) technologies toward the validation of legitimate calls and the mitigation of illegitimate spoofing of telephone identities on IP-based service provider voice networks (also referred to as VoIP networks.)
How is Industry Tackling Call Authentication Challenges in TDM Networks?
Through the ATIS Non-IP Call Identification Task Force (NIPCA-TF), which recently completed three new standards:

With these contributions, the NIPCA-TF has fulfilled its initial goals. Yet, the work continues. An extension of one of the three standards is being developed to advance ATIS' vital non-IP robocalling mitigation solutions.
Standards and Solutions
In SYNC with Precision Navigation and Timing
ATIS’ Synchronization Committee: SYNC has voiced its support of the work of the Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) in encouraging development and adoption of alternative PNT systems. Specifically, SYNC has been providing critical feedback to CSCC Communications Sector PNT Profile to promote accuracy and draw attention to this issue.

Advancing Emergency Communications
New standards are advancing Emergency Services communications for our industry.
Wireless Emergency Alerts Innovation
The recently published WEA 3.0 Practical Hints for Alert Originators provides practical information and educates WEA Alert Originators on the impact the WEA message input (i.e., choice of alert message fields and the content of those fields) has upon the message delivery. It also illustrates how this information may impact WEA recipient.

Other Critical Standards Work
  • ATIS' Network Reliability and Steering Committee has delivered Comments to the FCC regarding Improving 911 Reliability.
  • The Sustainability in Telecom: Energy and Protection (STEP) Committee is developing a Technical Report on Fault Managed Power Distribution Technologies – Human Contact Fault Analysis, set to be published by year-end. This work will establish a methodology to determine fault managed power system response to various simulated human contact scenarios.
  • Ordering and Billing Innovation. The Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) recently released the Access Services Ordering Guidelines (ASOG) Version 64, a major industry operations support resource, which is scheduled for implementation on March 19, 2022. ASOG Version 64 includes a new code to identify delays caused by permit Issues on the Clarification/Notification Request (C/NR) Form as well as an update to indicate that an RCODE is only valid before the ASR has been confirmed.

Learn about how all of ATIS Committees are advancing ICT industry transformation.
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