This IETF group deals with the layer of the Internet that ensures complete transfer of data by managing end-to-end control and error-checking of communications.

One important working group under the Transport Area is called Telephone Number Mapping, or "ENUM". According to a press release of the International Telecommunication Union (31 May 2002), which announced cooperation between the two organizations on this initiative:

"Under the proposed ENUM protocol, and subject to national authorities and end-user approval, it will be possible for consumers to use a single number to access many types of terminals and services, such as: phone, fax, e-mail, pager, mobile telephones, websites or any other services available through an internet addressing scheme...

"In keeping with the need to allow for voluntary implementation of the scheme and recognizing that ENUM services are primarily national issues, rapid progress at the international level is necessary to create a stable environment in which investment can be made in the worldwide deployment of ENUM.

"This interim approval is made possible due to cooperation between ITU, IAB and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)..."

The effective transport of data is a basic requirement of the Internet.

With respect to the Transport Area's work on ENUM: This effort has potential to streamline communications by simplifying a person's contact information and enabling him to designate preferred modes (e.g., voice, email, etc.) by which he may be contacted and by whom.

If the ENUM plan succeeds in covering every human as envisioned by some, such a number could be linked to other technologies (e.g., biometrics) and serve for general authentication purposes, possibly evolving into the electronic equivalent of an international identity card. (See also ICAO's work on Biometric Enhanced Machine Readable Travel Documents and ICANN's Whois recommendation.)