The DTI is opening a consultation on a plan to link all information about UK
electronic communications - making a person's telephone numbers, internet
locations, identities & email addresses a searchable dataset.
This consultation seeks views on proposals for the management of ENUM in the
UK under self-regulation by the industry.
The DTI is proposing that a committee should manage ENUM's introduction into
the UK.
"ENUM is a system that links telephone numbers to Internet locations and
identities such as email addresses, giving increased flexibility to
electronic communications," said the Department of Trade and Industry as it
kicked off the consultation.
If successfully implemented, ENUM will unify IP networks and PSTN telephony
addressing, and should allow a number of Internet-based applications to be
accessed via a telephone number.
"Essentially it's a way of referring to an Internet service through what
looks to be a phone number," explained Dr Tim Chown of the Department of
Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. "An ENUM
number can be used to point to an email or messaging service, a Web page, or
to call someone, perhaps using a SIP [session initiation protocol]
telephone."
An Internet-based user could call another person's ENUM number and be given
a range of alternative methods for getting in touch, such as email, texting
or a voice call.
ENUM numbers will also mean that Internet-based applications such as
streaming audio can be accessed from a telephone.
With ENUM, a telephone number is translated into an IP address in five
steps. First any area and country codes are added, then any spaces and
hyphens are removed. The digits are then reversed, dots are placed between
each digit, and finally the domain 'e164.arpa' is added.
Thus, the mobile phone number (+44) 07879 999999 would be translated to
9.9.9.9.9.9.9.7.8.7.4.4.e164.arpa
The DTI wishes to ensure that the proposed framework will result in open and
fair competition and at the same time provide adequate safeguards to protect
the public interest.
The consultation process includes a public workshop being held in London on
29 September 2004 to enable more detailed discussions
Related urls:
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communicatio...9164222,00.htm
http://www.dti.gov.uk/industries/eco...sultation.html
http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/...ation-1286.pdf
Regards
Sunil
FU set to uk.net and uk.telecom only
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