In filing comments with the FCC on May 23 regarding the proposed 700 MHz spectrum band rulemaking, TIA addressed matters of importance to association members in both the Commercial and Public Safety Bands.   TIA urged the FCC to adopt rules that streamline public safety spectrum in the 700 MHz band, while trusting experienced network operators to make the right decisions on the commercial side.

The FCC should reconfigure the existing dual narrowband allocations into a single band in the upper half of the Public Safety spectrum and shouldn't permit the narrowband channels to be used for the provision of broadband services on a secondary basis, TIA said, pointing to the widespread industry and public safety support for this solution.  While TIA remains neutral on the Frontline Wireless proposal, it said the commission should strictly enforce all buildout requirements and ensure that the public safety community retain priority access to the spectrum if the plan is adopted.

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TIA staff, along with representatives from TIA's User Premises Equipment Division (UPED) Committee, recently met with FCC staff at the commission's labs in Columbia , Md. , to discuss our efforts in publishing the TIA-1083 hearing-aid interference standard. The officials, including Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp and William Hurst, Technical Research Branch Chief from the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, were “very pleased” with our progress and asked about TIA's plans to market the standard to the hearing-loss community. TIA appreciates the FCC's interest and support for our work with the hearing-loss community. In addition, the UPED Committee met with the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) on Tuesday, June 12, to discuss the standard.

The origins of the TIA-1083 Hearing Standard date back to 2004, when telephone manufacturers began to receive customer complaints from hearing aid

wearers regarding interference problems experienced when using digital cordless telephones. In August of that year, a TIA engineering standards subcommittee discussed a Gallaudet University presentation on the subject. Since cordless telephones have relatively low-power radio frequency (RF) signals, the interference was suspected of being due to something other than direct RF signals and most likely due to undesired magnetic fields when the hearing aid is used in the telecoil (T-coil) mode.

TIA organized and supported research in this area and developed a testing method to

characterize the magnetic interference. This effort culminated with tests on cordless telephones by three different laboratories, which were later correlated with results from a study conducted by Gallaudet University during the 2005 Convention of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH). A working group was organized to develop the TIA-1083 standard documenting the test methods and providing performance requirements to limit the amount of magnetic noise produced. Signal-to-noise ratio performance

requirements were later added. To help quantify the signal-to-noise ratios needed by hearing aid users employing T-coil coupling with cordless and cellular phones, a collaborative study was conducted by Gallaudet University, Etymotic Research and

Motorola during the 2006 Convention of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA, formerly SHHH). Data obtained from this study were also used to provide input to the standard regarding the magnetic field orientation needs of hearing aids.

IA's new standard TIA-1083, Telephone Terminal Equipment Handset Magnetic Measurement Procedures and Performance Requirements , published in 2007, defines measurement procedures and performance requirements for the handset-generated audio band magnetic noise of wireline telephones. A telephone complies with TIA-1083 if it meets the requirements in the standard when manufactured and can be expected to continue to meet these requirements when properly used and maintained. TIA-1083 is expected to play a significant role in efforts to reduce interference problems experienced by people using hearing aids with digital cordless telephones. Manufactures are developing products that meet the performance requirements of the standard, and a package label is also being created to help hearing aid wearers identify products with reduced interference potential. TIA is grateful to HLAA for its willingness to participate in the research studies used to inform TIA's standards group in the development of TIA-1083. To obtain copies of the TIA-1083 standard, contact Information Handling Services at (800) 854-7179 or visit www.global.ihs.com To learn more about TIA standards, go to www.tiaonline.org .

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The FCC addressed a variety of issues impacting TIA members at its May 31 Open Meeting, with several issues affecting IP-enabled services.

The commission released a Report and Order applying accessibility requirements to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) providers and manufacturers and requiring the providers to pay into the Telecom Relay Services (TRS) Fund.   A commission Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) gave us the second VoIP-related issue, examining how stricter enhanced 911 rules would affect VoIP.  The same NPRM proposes that wireless carriers be required to improve their systems so they can more accurately locate subscribers who make 911 calls.   TIA is happy to see the FCC moving on such important public-interest and public-safety issues and urges the commission to continue to act in a technology-neutral manner.

The commission released another R&O at the meeting, based on a petition by Cox Cable Oklahoma , stating that sheetrock is a barrier to an incumbent's phone wires, used to provide service inside multiple dwelling units (MDUs).  As a result, competitors will now have access to these wires.  This is big news for network investment by competitive broadband carriers in the MDU market.  TIA strongly supports these rulemakings.

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On May 24, the Office of the United States Trade Representative released the text of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA). TIA believes that the implementation of a comprehensive and commercially meaningful FTA holds the promise of new opportunities for economic growth in both the United States and South Korea . The agreement would benefit both countries' ICT manufacturers, suppliers and service providers by establishing greater market access, assuring a rules-based and predictable business climate and encouraging further bilateral investment.

Recognizing that competition and openly developed and transparent processes are important to ICT-sector growth, the agreement contains strong language on technology neutrality, which is perhaps the most critical issue for regulated sectors like telecommunications. The agreement goes beyond what has been achieved with respect to this key principle in other trade agreements by limiting conditions under which parties can specify technology, helping to avoid the arbitrary denial of technology choice. Specifically, the agreement permits parties to limit technologies used by service suppliers only when seeking to achieve a legitimate public policy objective. With respect to wireless services, “technical requirements” may be applied only to ensure (1) the efficient use of spectrum, (2) consumers' continued access to services, (3) to facilitate law enforcement, and (4) to protect human health and safety. The application of any technical requirement must be done on the basis of a rulemaking and can be challenged by the other party.

In addition to technology choice, the agreement includes ICT-related commitments that will likely benefit TIA member companies, including, among other things, commitments on access to and use of the public switched network, interconnection, number portability, resale of services, networking unbundling and regulatory independence.  Finally, the agreement requires South Korea to ease its equity limitation on foreign direct investment in facilities-based service providers, which is currently set at 49 percent.

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After 11 years of preparation and nearly 8 years of negotiation, Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) on January 11, 2007 . As a condition of WTO entry, Vietnam committed to reduce tariffs and other barriers on a variety of goods and services, including those in the information, communication and technology (ICT) sector. Vietnam joined WTO's Information Technology Agreement for the ICT sector, eliminating tariffs on a wide range of IT products. Vietnam 's services commitments enable telecom carriers to hold a majority share for the provision of most basic and value-added telecommunication services. Finally, Vietnam 's regulatory process will become more transparent as a result of WTO membership, and the country is now subject to the WTO's dispute settlement process, which promises to improve investor confidence in the country.

Vietnam 's WTO entry will certainly improve operating conditions there and provide incentives for TIA members to enter the market. In 2003, Vietnam 's telecommunications revenues totaled $1.5 billion, but with total Internet and wireless penetration each at only 5.3 percent of the market, the country is ripe for ICT investment. Annual telecom growth in the country now exceeds 25 percent, and the International Telecommunications Union rates Vietnam as the second-fastest growing market after China . In the coming years the Vietnam government has pledged to invest in upgrades to its telecommunications networks. The government also has ambitious plans for its Internet sector, in part to expand the Internet into remote areas.

As part of its “Global Market Services” program, TIA is developing a series of market research reports to educate members about the benefits of exporting. TIA published the first report in the series, Doing Business in South Korea , in early April. It discussed opportunities in Korea 's highly-developed ICT market. In contrast, the next report will examine trends in Vietnam 's underdeveloped but rapidly growing ICT sector, where landline, wireless and Internet penetration currently represent only a small share of the population. The Vietnam report will be published this July.

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On May 15, TIA hosted its first International Trade Seminar, “Doing Business in Asia ,” at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta , Ga.    The event was attended by TIA members, staff and prospective members and was the first in a series of international trade seminars to educate on the benefits of exporting and investing in foreign markets.

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In yet another sign of favorable policy resulting from the advocacy efforts of TIA and its members, House Small Business Committee Vice-Chairman Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) introduced a broadband investment bill earlier this year after hearing the testimony of Russ Shields, CEO of TIA member Ygomi, among others.

Sestak introduced the Entrepreneurial Development Programs Act “in response to the testimony the committee received at the Rural Broadband hearing,” one staffer said. Shields, testimony emphasized the importance of broadband and other emerging technologies to American small business. “We are working with organizations like TIA to promote access to affordable and advanced communications services,” he told the committee, as well as “to limit regulations, minimize disruption to competitive market forces and promote the use of broadband in government services, public safety, education, ‘teleworking' and healthcare.”

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TIA held a Broadband and Technology (B&T) Luncheon featuring FCC Commissioner Michael Copps Wednesday, May 30, focused primarily on broadband penetration, public safety and the importance of basic telecom research to international competitiveness.  Commissioner Copps said he's aware of, and deeply concerned over, our country's broadband penetration status, and he believes the FCC can do more to further data collection and spur deployment.  The commissioner also believes that public safety should remain a high priority for the commission, and public and private partnerships can provide a solution to many of our nation's law enforcement problems.  He also noted that basic telecom research is lacking, weakening U.S. competitiveness.  Recognizing the importance of these issues to TIA member companies, the association looks forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Copps and offering assistance to his office. For more information on these luncheons, contact Tom Shull at +1.703.907.7014 or tshull@tiaonline.org .

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On May 21, TIA participated in an event to acknowledge the completion of all of the Sector-Specific Plans (SSPs) in support of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7). TIA believes protecting communications-related infrastructure is an important endeavor and because of this, the association serves as a Sector Coordinator, member of the Executive Committee and Secretary of the Communications Sector Coordinating Council and as an officer of the Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security (PCIS).

The May 21 event was organized to acknowledge the completion of all of the SSPs in support of the NIPP and HSPD-7. The NIPP outlines a comprehensive risk management framework that defines critical infrastructure protection roles and responsibilities for all levels of government and private industry. Each SSP is tailored to the unique risk characteristics of that sector to promote greater consistency of protective programs and resources within the sectors.

“The consequences of an assault against America 's vast network of critical infrastructure sites could be dire, both in loss of life and in economic impact,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in remarks given at the event. “At the same time, we must avoid imposing onerous security measures that would damage or make economically impractical the very systems that we're trying to protect. The security roadmap announced today reflects unprecedented coordination among the public and private sectors. These plans are already significantly strengthening vital infrastructure and reducing vulnerability to all hazards – terrorist attack and natural disaster alike.”

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