I have received questions from a number of people asking if or how people can participate in the standardization activities related to H.323, H.248, etc. Most people have been under the impression that, since they are not members of the ITU, they do not have a voice and do not have a means to contribute to the work related to H.323 and H.248. While it is true that the ITU meetings are generally closed to members, we do have a much more "open door" policy at Rapporteur's meetings and definitely encourage participation from members and non-members alike. Rapporteur's meetings are where much of the real work gets done, so your participation would definitely be beneficial.

In February 2003, we will hold the next Rapporteur's meeting for Questions 2, 3, 4, 5, D, F, and G of Study Group 16. The meeting announcement will be posted to the ITU-T SG16 mailing list (see http://www.packetizer.com/iptel/h323/lists.html for information on joining the list), which is the official mailing list for work related to those Questions. I would encourage any interested person to contribute to the work going on related to those Questions, regardless of his/her association with the ITU. While being present at the meeting is really beneficial to the work going on, it certainly is not mandatory. Even if you are not present, if you have a feature you want to propose or propose a new work item, you could simply submit the proposal in writing and it will be considered. With that said, though, as folks who do participate in these meetings know, it is generally better to be present to make your point and help drive the work.

If you have a contribution you want to make in the area of H.323, H.248, etc., you are definitely welcome! In addition, I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have related to procedural matters.