ITU-T Q12/16 met the last week of August to make progress on the
Advanced Multimedia System (▲H.325), the next-generation multimedia
communication system that will enable users to communicate using a
multiplicity of communication modes across any number of independent
devices.
H.325 is expected to a significant step forward in terms of capabilities
provided to the user. H.325 is expected to be widely deployed in every
network where one might traditionally use a voice telephone, including
PSTN or VoIP. While H.325 might be viewed as a VoIP system, since it will
enable voice communication over IP, H.325 will just as easily enable
video, application sharing, file transfer, or any other kind of
application to be used for a much richer communication experience.
As with the past several meetings, the experts in this new IP-based
multimedia communication system worked on requirements and scenarios, as
well as terminal and system architecture. During the last meeting at
the end of June, the experts made progress primarily on the terminal
architecture and this most recent meeting was more focused on network
architecture.
H.325 will be used in any environment where a communication system might
be employed today. One solution given specific treatment at this most
recent meeting is the "home network." Experts looked at system
developed by NTT wherein users were able to use a residential gateway
and UPnP in order to enable communication on a number of home network
devices. Much of that technology, or at least ideas that are proven
workable, may be employed by H.325 as the work is progressed.
H.325 will enable much more than just the residential gateway devices,
though. In fact, it is fully expected that the same devices in the home
can be used in conjunction with a mobile communication device. Exactly
how the mobile phone, home network appliances, and residential gateway
devices will interact in order to enable seamless communication needs
further study.
Nonetheless, the momentum is strong and this most recently meeting was a
very good success. The path is becoming clearer, though there is still
much work to do. The experts are now fleshing out the terminal
architecture, network architecture, and information flows that will
define this next-generation system.
More importantly, there appears to be a growing consensus that change is
necessary in order to advance the state of communications, as the current
set of capabilities available today is insufficient to meet the needs of
tomorrow. Users expect more capabilities and a more dynamic system with
ever-increasing functionality. H.325 aims to do just that, stepping far
ahead of where SIP is today.
