August 20, 2001 TIA (www.tiaonline.org) plans to set up its trade association and standards development organizations as autonomous entities. This move, approved at TIA's Summer Board of Directors meeting, is intended to let each organization focus on its respective mission.
TIA's standards development activities produce more than 100 standards each year and rely upon the contributions of about 1,400 volunteers. In planning a spin-off, TIA intends to establish a standards development organization (SDO) for telecommunications that will accommodate service providers and manufacturers, together with others, on a global basis. The plan also provides for the SDO to support the TIA trade association with technical assistance so that TIA can continue to provide guidance on complex telecommunications issues for policymakers.
"We are separating this function of TIA so that standards development can serve the telecommunications industry more widely by having a global membership and reach," says Matthew Flanigan, TIA president. "Under our plan, all TIA members initially will have automatic rights to participate in the standards development activities without incurring additional dues, while other interested parties, world-wide, will have equal opportunities to be members of the SDO and provide for its governance."
"The establishment of an autonomous SDO will support the telecommunications industry more widely and may be a focal point for other groups that wish to take advantage of skilled staff support and global reach," adds Dan Bart, TIA's senior vice president, standards and special projects. "We already partner and work with other groups and SDOs worldwide to develop global standards and specifications in some technical areas. The proposed new structure will make this happen more easily."
The association is resolving the final details of its plan, which will be reviewed for approval at the November meeting of TIA's Board of Directors. Further information of the organizational changes will be announced following that meeting.
