Many experts see RFID as an enabler for anywhere computing the integration of computation into the environment: any device, anytime, anywhere. RFID enabled mobile phones could be a first step in this direction. The combination of mobile phones and RFID technologies promises great potential in the market for mobile telecommunication services. Field trials in some sectors and some regions of the world have recently started. However, the development of services is far from being complete. While a broad range of services can be imagined, along the lines of the scenarios detailed in section 3.1, only attractive propositions will convince customers to adopt the technology. One has to await the implementation of mobile payment systems to see whether similar systems will prove to be attractive enough to push the new technology.
Apart from the search for the killer application, a variety of technical questions still need a tremendous amount of work and study. As detailed in this paper, the standardization for RFID technologies in general (chapter 2) and for RFID-enabled mobile telecommunication services (chapter 3) in particular is unsatisfactory. Depending on one’s point of view, one can see either a lack or an excess of standards. Regardless of which of the two standpoints one adheres to, it is true to say that a lack of harmonized, globally accepted, cross-sector and interoperable standards on RFID tag data structures, network components and protocols between those components exists.
Apart from the search for the killer application, a variety of technical questions still need a tremendous amount of work and study. As detailed in this paper, the standardization for RFID technologies in general (chapter 2) and for RFID-enabled mobile telecommunication services (chapter 3) in particular is unsatisfactory. Depending on one’s point of view, one can see either a lack or an excess of standards. Regardless of which of the two standpoints one adheres to, it is true to say that a lack of harmonized, globally accepted, cross-sector and interoperable standards on RFID tag data structures, network components and protocols between those components exists.
This paper presents a non-exhaustive list of topics that might be interesting for future standardization work: In order to global RFID standards for data formats, interoperability, interference problems etc., cooperation between the different standards bodies, manufacturers and users is necessary. Only approach can succeed in promoting RFID in order to ensure a widespread adoption of the technology. In order to do that, an “All-Star approach” might be considered useful. Bringing major players in RFID standardization together at one table could help to broaden the understanding of the participants. ITU’s unique combination of membership – from the private sector (service providers and manufacturers) and the world’s governments - seems to make it an obvious choice as a place for this work, particularly given the fact that RFID standardization deals with both technical and regulatory aspects. ITU’s Standardization Sector (ITU-T), would be in an ideal position to drive studies towards a common platform for various RFID applications.
RFID technology in mobile telecommunications – and RFID in general – are highly dependant on user acceptance, the user’s hearts (and wallets) can only be won if industry, researchers and policy-makers work hand-in-hand in taking-up these issues. Security and privacy issues will be decisive for the success of the technology and thus have to be addressed as a priority. This is an area where work seems to be at an early stage. Additional studies are also needed to assess the exact impact of RFID on fixed and mobile networks. It seems obvious that additional services based on the use of RFID technologies will eventually lead to increased network traffic. It still remains to be quantified how big that impact will be and how network design has to respond to this challenge. Further research is also needed on how RFID technologies can be integrated into existing and future network environments. Again, ITU-T is in an excellent position to examine how RFID services could converge for example with Next Generation Networks (NGN). At the network level, the present NGN initiative intends to give the necessary platform to support service capabilities involving RFID devices. In this context, the issue of RFID-IPv6 mapping is another important field of study, as many active RFID tags of the future will have to be integrated into communication networks, using an identifier that most probably will be or have a direct relation with an IPv6 address.
