April 19, 2017: ITU members have approved a new standard on information-centric networking, a promising approach to achieving ultra-low-latency communications in the IMT-2020 (5G) environment. The standard is the first to emerge from ITU’s study of the wireline technology enablers of future 5G systems.

Recommendation ITU-T Y.3071 “Data Aware Networking (Information Centric Networking) – Requirements and Capabilities” was developed by ITU’s standardization expert group for ‘future networks’, ITU-T Study Group 13.

ICN proposes an evolution in the addressing and framing of data, identifying information independently of the distribution channel by assigning reusable names to packets of data or groups of packets. ICN does not require the resolution of endpoint identifiers before using a name, a feature of great benefit to machine-to-machine and Internet of Things applications. Enabling proactive in-network data caching and limiting redundant traffic in core networks, ICN translates into greater networking efficiency, lower latency and improved energy efficiency.

ITU-T Y.3071 specifies the requirements of ICN, identifying the capabilities necessary to fulfil these requirements and describing the functional components of these capabilities.

The standard provides for ICN to support use cases such as connected, automated driving; sensor networking; smart-grid applications; and multicast communication for high-quality multimedia live-streaming services. Learn more about the service scenarios and use cases supported by ICN in ITU-T Y-series Supplement 35.

ITU support for cohesive 5G innovation

In 2012, ITU established a programme on “International Mobile Telecommunications for 2020 and beyond (IMT-2020)”, providing the framework for 5G research and development worldwide. ITU has defined the framework and overall objectives of the 5G standardization process, as well as the roadmap to guide this process to its conclusion by 2020.