​​​​ITU‑T Study Group 20: Internet of Things, digital twins and smart sustainable cities and communities (Study Period 2025 - 2028​)​​

ITU T Study Group 20 is responsible for the development of innovative standards (ITU T Recommendations), guidelines, reports, methodologies and best practices for the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, metaverse and smart sustainable cities and communities (SSC&C), with the goal of accelerating digital transformation in both urban and rural areas. This includes studies on digital services, SSC&C applications, systems and services, interoperability and interworking, digital twins, requirements, capabilities and architectural frameworks of IoT and SSC&C across verticals, and human-centric approaches enabled by IoT and SSC&C, in particular in digital health, accessibility and inclusion.

Additionally, ITU T Study Group 20 addresses architectures, functionalities and protocols in applications of verticals and infrastructures of IoT and SSC&C, decentralized/distributed IoT and data analytics, data sharing, data processing and management, including big data aspects of IoT and SSC&C. The study group also focuses on terminology and definitions, the study and research of emerging digital technologies (e.g. metaverse and artificial intelligence), security, privacy, trustworthiness and identification of IoT and SSC&C, and also the evaluation and assessment of SSC&C and related digital services.

By developing robust standards and best practices, ITU T Study Group 20 aims to foster global innovation for IoT and SSC&C in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Recommendations under the SG20 responsibility