What is the purpose of the discussion? Answer

[paul.reynolds@orange.co.uk]

 For many years, individuals involved in ISPs have been an important component
of IETF, as they have brought experience and requirements to the task of
developing protocols for the Internet. Until recently, most ISPs were involved
in providing service through standard wired networks. With the growth of the
wireless Internet, the technology and business of mobile operators are becoming
more like that of an ISP and less like that of a telephone company. Mobile
operators have traditionally not had as  close a relationship with the IETF.  To
start this engaugement an Internet Draft
http://www.ietf.org/internet-draft/draft-reynolds-mobile-isp-requirements-00.txt
,  has been produced which represents the result of a year long study comprising
the major mobile operators and mobile ISPs.

The percieved problem is that the IETF needs to tackle, that isn't already
within  scope for an existing WGs, is to have protocol development more focused
upon wireless requirements. To address this problem the discussion has two main
objectives:

1: Present  an opportunity for companies and individuals that will have to
deploy and offer Internet services on wireless networks to present *** what they
think the wireless requirements for the protocols  to support those services
should be ***, and for equipment vendors, software developers, academic
researchers, and others involved in engineering and development of mobile
networking protocols *** to engage in a discussion with the wireless ISPs on
their requirements ***

2: The next stage is to *** conduct a BoF *** which will make the case for
forming a short term, focused, working group to refine  the requirements in
draft-reynolds-mobile-isp-requirements-00.txt   for *** publication as an
Informational RFC ***.


Paul Reynolds
Orange SA



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