SAN RAMON, Calif., February 11, 2013 – The Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCI Forum) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved the Unified Communications Specification for H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC and SVC Modes Version 1.0. Coupled with a certification program that is currently under development, it will allow customers to deploy mixed-vendor solutions with confidence.
Video conferencing solutions from a number of leading vendors have already incorporated H.264/SVC; however, current implementations may not fully interoperate. The approved specification defines configurations of H.264/SVC-based systems to ensure their interoperability. The approved specification builds on the profiles submitted by the UCI Forum to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and adopted in early 2012, concerning use of H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC and SVC in Unified Communication (UC) systems.
The UCI Forum approved H.264/SVC specification defines a carefully selected set of capabilities that have proven to be effective in real-life deployments from different vendors. The specification takes into consideration the needs of UC users that use various devices, ranging from handheld and mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets, and notepads) to larger, location systems (e.g., desktop computers and video conference suites) to connect into visual collaboration meetings.
The new specification is the first step in the UCI Forum’s planned interoperability certification program for H.264/SVC-based video systems and covers the bit stream. Additional specifications are planned in the area of transport and signaling, enabling the negotiation of different transmission modes between the video source and the video destination, as well as parameters such as picture resolution, video refresh rates and screen size.
“The UCI Forum’s approval of the H.264/SVC specification is a significant milestone because it represents the first step towards enabling the video conferencing and unified communication industries to offer fully interoperable video solutions,” said Bernard Aboba, president of the UCI Forum. “The H.264/SVC task group defined a specification that addresses market needs as well as interoperability challenges among vendors.”
The UCI Forum is an open industry alliance that works with its members to fully leverage customers’ investments in communications systems and unite their global organizations. To learn more about the UCI Forum, please complete the online interest form.
About the Unified Communications Interoperability Forum
The Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCI Forum) is a non-profit alliance of worldwide communications technology leaders working together to realize the potential of unified communications (UC) by increasing efficiency, decreasing implementation costs and improving the interoperability experience for UC customers. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook or visit www.uciforum.org and the UCI Forum blog to learn more.
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It’s hard to believe two years have passed since the Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCI Forum) came together to form the non-profit alliance we know today. We’re an organization dedicated to realizing the potential of unified communications – which means we’re committed to increasing efficiency, decreasing implementation costs and improving the interoperability experience for UC customers.
Over the past two years, UCI Forum membership has grown to 40 organizations sharing a vision to enable interoperability of standards-based UC hardware and software across enterprises, service providers and consumer clouds. Just this year, we welcomed five new members to the Forum including GENBAND, ShoreTel, Meru Networks, Wipro and Blue Jeans Network.
Our next big event is our Fall Annual Member Meeting, which will be held in Austin, Texas and co-located with IT EXPO West in October. We hope you will join us Oct. 2 – 3 for the meeting, which will have a full agenda including analyst and end-user tracks (open to the public), a networking reception (open to the public), task group updates and a State of the Union address from Bernard Aboba, chairman of the UCI Forum Board.
We’re also making great strides in addressing the interoperability challenges of the UC industry. Below are some highlights and milestones since our one-year anniversary:
- In March of this year we were extremely proud to announce that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reviewed and approved a set of video coding profiles developed by the UCI Forum. The UCI Forum submitted these profiles to the ITU for inclusion in the Scalable Video Coding (SVC) design for its H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard.
- November 2011 saw the UCI Forum launch the SIP over IPv6 Task Group, chartered to establish a SIP over IPv6 test network infrastructure for vendors to test their IPv6 SIP interoperability.
- In October, 2011 we held our Second Annual All Member Meeting Hosted in Austin, Texas. The meeting was a huge success and featured guest speakers like industry analysts Irwin Lazar of Nemertes and Henry Dewing of Forrester. We also heard from a number of end users about the UC interoperability challenges they face very day.
- In August 2011, the UCI Forum grew its Board of Directors to include members from both RADVISION and Vidyo.
- And one year ago this month, the UCI Forum received great news when the UCIF USB Webcam recommendation was adopted by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) Video Work Group and submission of the completed specification was delivered to the USB-IF board.
As you can see, we’ve accomplished quite a bit, but there still a lot of work to be done including establishing our first certifications. We’re working hard on achieving a certification program for H.264 SVC. In order to succeed, we count on volunteer members like you to participate. If you’re interested in helping us achieve our goals, please let us know by contacting info@ucif.org.
Are you interesting in learning more about the UCI Forum? If so, please check out the resources below. Thanks!!
- Website http://www.UCIF.org
- Whitepaper ”UC, Driving the Next Step to Interoperability“
- UCIF Blog http://uciforum.wordpress.com/
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SAN RAMON, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCI Forum) today announced that the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has reviewed and approved a set of video coding profiles developed by the UCI Forum. The UCI Forum submitted these profiles to the ITU for inclusion in the Scalable Video Coding (SVC) design for its H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard. A corresponding adoption of the same profiles into the MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC standard has also entered into the approval process of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
SVC is already implemented in enterprise-class videoconferencing solutions from a number of leading vendors including RADVISION, Teliris and Vidyo, with the intent to implement SVC on the roadmap for companies like LifeSize, Microsoft and Polycom. However, current SVC implementations are not fully interoperable, and therefore a standard needs to be defined in order to certify interoperability scenarios.
“The UCI Forum is gaining momentum and making great strides toward defining interoperability, and this is another positive step in that direction,” said Bernard Aboba, president of UCI Forum. “ITU and ISO/IEC acceptance of our SVC profile proposal will accelerate interoperability verification and give end users the confidence that their UC technologies are fully interoperable, even in heterogeneous environments.”
To see the entire release, please visit:
The UCI Forum continues making advances toward unified communications interoperability. Most recently, the forum launched its SIP over IPv6 Task Group. The new Task Group, which successfully completed the member review and comment period, is the first test program chartered to operate under the Test and Certification Work Group (CWG).
This Task Group will establish a SIP over IPv6 test network infrastructure for vendors to test their IPv6 SIP interoperability. Members will be able to stand up their gear anywhere in the world and be able to test interop with any other member regardless of proximity. Additionally the IPv6 infrastructure will be capable to host a virtual plugfest to test SIP voice sessions over IPv6.
The IPv6 test infrastructure will be based on the Department of Defense Unified Capabilities Requirement (UCR) 2008 Ch 3 specification. The UCR specifies the functional requirements, performance objectives, and technical specifications for DoD networks that support Unified Communications. One of the major benefits of this task group will be aiding members in achieving IPv6 SIP interoperability for the DoD UCR by pre-testing their solutions.
The SIP over IPv6 Task Group is chartered to:
- Provide a secure environment that allows members to perform online testing for SIP over a known good working IPv6 infrastructure.
- Provide a test suite for member companies to simulate DoD UCR 2008 Ch 3 IPv6 requirements. Some examples of tests that can be performed are: make an IP call, receive an IP call, transfer a call, call to PSTN, incoming call from PSTN and call to E911.
- Provide a cloud-based test platform that is available online and at any time.
- Provide a platform for virtualized interoperability testing at various formal events.
For more information on the SIP over IPv6 Task Group and the UCI Forum in general, please contact info@ucif.org.
Please join us at the Austin Convention Center (Room M1) on Tuesday, Septemer 13, 2011 from 1:30pm – 4:45pm (followed by a networking reception at 5:00pm) and Wednesday, September 14, 2011 from 8:00am – 10:45am (breakfast 8:00 am – 9:00am) to hear sessions by Irwin Lazar (Nemertes), Henry Dewing (Forrester Research) and Chuck Kazilet (Arizona State University). For the full agenda and registration, please go to: www.regonline.com/ucifreception.
See you there!
The UCI Forum Test Lab Vendor RFP is now available!
Commercial, academic and/or research entities with expertise in a range of IP communications testing are welcome to submit a proposal. Areas of expertise include but are not limited to:
- Device testing – e.g. headsets, audio conference devices, webcams, etc.
- Software module testing – e.g. voice and video codecs, protocol stacks, etc.
- Software product testing – e.g. signaling servers, media servers, desktop clients, media conferencing units, etc.
The deadline for the submission of the RFP is October15, 2011. Again, if you’re interested in participating in the process, please send an email indicating intent to the CWG Program Manager, Russell Bennett (russell@ucinsights.com) with “CWG RFP
Notification of Intent from [insert your organization name here]” in the subject line, no later than September 1, 2011. Approved vendors will be announced once due diligence is complete – currently estimated to be by the end of the year.
Copies of the following documents can be downloaded from the UCI Forum website at:
http://www.ucif.org/Resources/Documents.aspx
- UCIF CWG Test Process
- UCIF CWG Test Vendor RFP
- UCIF Appendix B RFP Response Form
The Test and Certification Group (CWG) has indicated that a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for Test Lab Vendors who are interested in being placed on a
list of UCI Forum approved testing labs is now completing final review.
UC interoperability momentum is growing with the identification and
qualification of testing and certification labs. An RFP for these test labs is now completing
final review, and the Test and Certification Work Group expects to have
completed contracts with the initial lab vendors in early 2012, enabling full
UC certification processes to commence later in 2012.
Initial certifications are planned for USB Audio Devices as well as H.264 SVC interoperability.
If you’re interested in participating, please send an email indicating
intent to Russell Bennett (russell@ucinsights.com) with “CWG RFP
Notification of Intent from [insert your organization name here]” in the
subject line, no later than September 1, 2011.
For the latest news on the UCI Forum, please visit: www.uciforum.org
