[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[atlarge-discuss] FW: CDT Report on ENUM
This is an issue on which this group may wish to have some
input, given that it impinges on individual Internet users'
rights to provacy and security and the DNS...
<< start of forwarded material >>
From: "Michael Gurstein" <mgurst@vcn.bc.ca>
To: <cpi-ua@vancouvercommunity.net>
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 05:19:30 -0400
Subject: [CPI-UA] FW: [CYBERTEL] CDT Report on ENUM
-----Original Message-----
From: Telecom Regulation & the Internet
[mailto:CYBERTELECOM-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM]On Behalf Of Richard Shockey
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 8:49 PM
To: CYBERTELECOM-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
Subject: [CYBERTEL] CDT Report on ENUM
__________________________________________
CDT POLICY POST Volume 9, Number 9, April 28, 2003
A Briefing On Public Policy Issues Affecting Civil Liberties Online
from The Center For Democracy and Technology
(1) CDT Report Analyzes Public Policy Concerns About ENUM Technology
(2) What is ENUM, and Has It Been Deployed Yet?
(3) Policy Issues Raised by ENUM
(4) Recommendations for ENUM Implementations
-------------------------------------------------------------
(1) CDT Report Analyzes Public Policy Concerns About ENUM Technology
ENUM, a technology protocol that may provide a critical tool in the
more widespread adoption of "voice over the Internet" services, also
poses risks to privacy.
CDT's Standards, Technology & Policy Project has issued a report
analyzing a range of privacy and other public policy concerns raised
by the ENUM protocol. The report sets out detailed policy
recommendations that should be followed by national governments and
service providers in any implementation of ENUM.
"ENUM: Mapping Telephone Numbers onto the Internet -- Potential
Benefits With Public Policy Risks" is available at
http://www.cdt.org/standards/enum/.
Additional information about CDT's Standards Project is available at
http://www.cdt.org/standards/.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(2) What is ENUM and Has it Been Deployed Yet?
ENUM is a protocol that allows the translation of normal telephone
numbers into a format that can be used to store and retrieve Internet
addressing information, which can in turn be used to route
communications over the Internet. With ENUM and "Voice over Internet
Protocol" ("VoIP") technology, an increasingly amount of voice
communications can be carried over the Internet instead of over the
traditional telephone network. Initially, ENUM is likely to be
deployed by corporations and other large institutions that seek to
reduce their use of traditional telephone services (especially
international and other long distance service). This technology has
the potential to allow users -- corporations and individuals -- to
save money and increase the choices they can exercise in their
communications.
ENUM will facilitate the routing of telephone calls over the
Internet, in a manner that is seamless to the end users. To place a
call with ENUM, (1) a person dials a standard phone number on a
normal telephone (or on a telephone-like device connected to a
computer), (2) the computer or telephone system uses ENUM to check if
the called number can be reached over the Internet using VoIP
technology, (3) if the number can be reached, a VoIP call is
initiated, and (4) if the number cannot be reached over the Internet,
the call is routed to the traditional telephone network.
ENUM-compliant technologies and implementations are still in the
development and testing stages. A number of nations around the world
have initiated formal ENUM "test bed" implementations. The United
States Department of Commerce has endorsed the U.S.'s participation
in ENUM, and set out a series of guidelines to be met before formal
tests or government-sanctioned implementations can proceed.
Commercial deployment of ENUM services is likely to take place by the
end of 2004.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Policy Issues Raised by ENUM
ENUM's potential benefits also bring risks in terms of privacy and
other public policy concerns. The simplest implementation of ENUM
envisions that individuals' personal contact information (such as
telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) will be stored in special
records located in the Domain Name System (or DNS) of the global
Internet. Because the DNS is publicly available, ENUM could
significantly compromise the privacy of its users, and could lead to
additional spam and other problems.
A more complex use of ENUM (in conjunction with a device called a
"proxy server"), however, offers the opportunity to gain the benefits
of ENUM without sacrificing control over personal information. To
minimize the potential harmful effect of ENUM on privacy, it is vital
that this second, more complex approach to ENUM be permitted and
available in the marketplace.
Other important issues turn, for example, on (a) how much information
individuals or companies will be required to provide in order to take
advantage of ENUM, and (b) how much of that information will be
revealed in a public database (similar to the "whois" database which
reveals information about domain name holders).
In a different vein, ENUM raises a range of policy issues about how
closely "ENUM numbers" should be tied to existing traditional
telephone numbers.
One critical aspect of the global public policy issues surrounding
ENUM is the fact that ENUM will, for the most part, be implemented
within each country by the telephone authorities or companies that
operate within that country. Thus, many critical decisions (for
example, about how much information will be required to obtain an
ENUM number) will be made on a country-by-country basis. It is
critical that within each country, the relevant telephone authorities
must closely consult with the public interest and civil society
sector, the communications industry, and the computer industry.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Recommendations for ENUM Implementations
To ensure that users can take advantage of ENUM without sacrificing
privacy, any implementation of ENUM should follow a number of
guidelines to ensure that there is a diversity of ENUM service
providers and that those providers will be able to offer
privacy-protecting ENUM options. CDT's report on ENUM details 14
specific policy recommendations. Among the specific recommendations
are:
- At no time should any ENUM record be created without the express
consent of the individual or entity that subscribes to the
corresponding telephone number on the traditional telephone network.
An ENUM user should explicitly "opt-in" to the ENUM service.
- No publicly accessible whois-like database of ENUM subscribers
should be created.
- Prospective ENUM users should receive clear notice of the privacy
risks and consequences of using ENUM.
- ENUM policy within a country should be set in close consultation
with the public interest and civil society sector, the communications
industry, and the Internet industry.
CDT's report on ENUM also provides a bibliography of references and
links to ENUM resources and analyses.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed information about online civil liberties issues may be found
at http://www.cdt.org/.
This document may be redistributed freely in full or linked to
http://www.cdt.org/publications/pp_9.09.shtml.
Excerpts may be re-posted with prior permission of ari@cdt.org
Policy Post 9.09. Copyright 2003 Center for Democracy and Technology
_______________________________________________
http://www.cdt.org/mailman/listinfo/policy-posts
_______________________________________________
http://www.cdt.org/mailman/listinfo/dpswg
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Richard Shockey, Senior Manager, Strategic Technology Initiatives
NeuStar Inc.
46000 Center Oak Plaza - Sterling, VA 20166
Voice +1 571.434.5651 Cell : +1 314.503.0640, Fax: +1 815.333.1237
<mailto:richard@shockey.us> or <mailto:richard.shockey@neustar.biz>
<http://www.neustar.biz> ; <http://www.enum.org>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<< end of forwarded material >>
##########################################################
Judyth Mermelstein "cogito ergo lego ergo cogito..."
Montreal, QC <espresso@e-scape.net>
##########################################################
"A word to the wise is sufficient. For others, use more."
"Un mot suffit aux sages; pour les autres, il en faut plus."
##########################################################
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-unsubscribe@lists.fitug.de
For additional commands, e-mail: atlarge-discuss-help@lists.fitug.de