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The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has entered the fray. It is now saying that it knew all along that this is a problem. It also is saying that it's not a really big problem. It will soon publish a questionaire.
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The main areas which have already been identified by the ITU as being affected by the change from 1999 to 2000 are in message handling systems (MHS) and directory services which use UTC time based on a two-digit representation of the year and in some post-processing operations such as call charging, customer billing or other record used within the post processing billing systems where, in simple terms, the start time and end time are compared to determine the chargeable duration. . . .
The ITU will now set up a task force to coordinate all ITU worldwide activities relating to the Year 2000. In addition, the ITU will create a central database to compile Year 2000 information collected from telecoms companies through an impact analysis questionnaire. . . .
"Although no major disruptions are expected in international telecoms networks in the change from 1999 to 2000, it is clear that telecom carriers will be affected in a number of ways in whatever transactions which calls upon the use of dates, whenever they are based on a two digit representation," explained Dr. Geza Gosztony, the Hungarian chairperson of ITU-T Study Group 2.
The ITU's Web site is at http://www.itu.ch .
Reported by Newsbytes News Network, http://www.newsbytes.com .
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