The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (Johannesburg, 2008), considering that it is desirable for the Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) to consider the creation of a technology watch function (TWF) to survey new technologies for possible new standardization activities in ITU and how such new technologies can be included within the ITU-T Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) work programme; that the TWF needs to identify emerging technologies, as well as their likely impact on future standardization work for both developed and developing countries, with a view to identifying work items for possible new ITU-T Recommendations.