Member companies in attendance included: Alcatel-Lucent, ArrayComm, Ciena, Cisco, Ericsson, ESRI, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel, Panasonic, Telcordia, Texas Instruments, Uniden, Vtech, Ygomi, and a full battery of TIA policy staff.  Steve Sifferman, ArrayComm Executive VP-Operations and TIA board member, presided over the meeting.

TIA's Senior Policy Director Danielle Coffey introduced the leadership team's newest addition, Carolyn Holmes Lee, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs.

Key topics discussed were: a variety of issues connected the 700 MHz Auction, including major questions about the upper C block of the spectrum; the 915 MHZ petition by Cellnet specifying new rules for the band; the June NPRM seeking E-911 comments and this week's FCC hearing on the subject; RTT, close-captioning and other issues relevant to TEITAC; the FCC's broadband deployment and broadband practices Notices of Inquiry.  The meeting also recapped major legislative issues like TIA's success into getting broadband language inserted into the America COMPETES Act, recently passed passed by Congress and signed by President Bush.

TIA won't hold a Spring Policy Summit in 2008 but will hold events at the Democratic and Republican conventions.

For questions or comments regarding the Public Policy Committee please contact Tom Shull at 703.907.7014 or tshull@tiaonline.org.

< Back to Top >

The Telecommunications Electronic and Information Advisory Committee (TEITAC) announced the remaining schedule for the committee’s update on telecommunications accessibility standards last week.  The committee’s final report will be posted on November 27, 2007 and released in early January 2008, according to the schedule agreed upon by the Committee.  The announcement came at the full committee meeting held September 4-6 at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Arlington, Va.

The final report will provide recommendations to the U.S. Access Board and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the agencies’ telecommunications accessibility standards.  The report is advisory; therefore, neither agency is required to implement the suggestions stemming from the report.  Further, committee members are encouraged to submit minority reports on issues where they disagree with the majority consensus.

< Back to Top >

The International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2007 Council session, at which TIA is serving as a delegate, began on September 4 with a “High-level Segment,” featuring ministerial-level presentations on the topics of cybersecurity and ICT infrastructure.  Subsequent presentations and discussion focused on developments in these two areas and cataloged obstacles to progress, including the scope of the problem, planned or implemented remedies, and best practices.

In his opening remarks, ITU Secretary General Dr. Hamadoun Toure noted the need for international cooperation on cybercrime, with the goal of “preserving the benefit of ICT for all while preventing crime.” Following Secretary General Toure, Ministers discussed the need for international coordination to tackle cybercrime, and described various national efforts to establish cybersecurity guidelines, including the adoption of cybersecurity legislation. Thailand's delegation, for example, noted a recent computer-related crime act, which imposes fines and other punishments for violations. Thailand also distributes free software to block undesirable websites. Other countries noted efforts to adopt national roadmaps for addressing the problem, with some countries indicating plans for symposiums or conferences on the topic.

On the topic of ICT infrastructure, Secretary General Toure noted the ITU’s efforts to support ICT investment in underserved areas. Launched in July, Connect Africa, the first in series of similar initiatives, will result in a summit to be held in Kigali, Rwanda October 29-30, 2007. Such initiatives are designed to accelerate ICT and economic development. It was noted that ICT infrastructure in Africa has increased dramatically, reaching $8 billion in 2005, up from $3.5 billion in 2000.  

For questions or comments on Council Session 2007, please contact Michael Nunes at 703.907.7725 or mnunes@tiaonline.org.

< Back to Top >

Under the guidance of new Director of Legislative and Government Affairs Carolyn Holmes Lee, TIA sent a letter of support to the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for the “Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2007” (H.R. 743/S 156). The bills, sponsored by Representative Anna Eshoo (D-Cal.) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the bill would permanently extend the federal moratorium on Internet access taxes. 

In 1998, Congress enacted the first temporary tax moratorium, which has since been extended twice and is now set to expire on November 1, 2007.  With the moratorium scheduled to expire in a few weeks, TIA is asking Congress to pass these bills which would permanently prohibit state and local governments from imposing these taxes as well as multiple or discriminatory taxes for online transactions. 

TIA supports this action in order to protect the growth of innovative technology and the digital economy and ensure the availability of highly advanced and secure communications to all Americans. In this time of questions about the best methods for deploying broadband, such strong disincentives to network investment could undo a decade of positive trends.

Holmes Lee comes to TIA this month after managing tech-related issues including telecom and energy in addition to environmental and tax policy for 3M Company's federal and state government affairs department. Prior to working at 3M, Holmes Lee was Legislative Director in the office of Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, a prominent member of the Commerce Committee that oversees many issues important to TIA members. Before serving with Snowe, Holmes Lee was a legislative assistant handling national issues for Congresswoman Sue Kelly from 1998-2001.

< Back to Top >

In a vote that advances both broadband infrastructure and opportunities for access for minorities across the United States, the House overwhelmingly supported H.R. 694, the Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Act of 2007, this week.  TIA applauds the House for their vote and urges the Senate to do the same.  In the world of technology convergence, next-generation networks are revolutionizing the way that we communicate with one another.  It is imperative that all Americans have equal access to new technologies in order for the United States to compete in the global marketplace.

H.R. 694 would provide up to $250 million in grants for minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions. The grants would go to HBCUs and similar institutions –including institutions "with a sufficient enrollment of needy students" of all ethnicities, as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965 – for technology upgrades and infrastructure, in addition to funding services for technology degrees and educator training.  The bill, if approved, would require program assessment every three years by the National Academy of Public Administration.

TIA believes H.R. 694, which passed by a vote of 331-59, was a great step in the right direction toward broadband deployment, and also toward our stated goal of higher levels of minority management and ownership in the tech and telecom sectors. 

Please contact Tom Shull at 703.907.7014 or tshull@tiaonline.org with any questions or comments.

< Back to Top >

This week, TIA is participating as a U.S. delegation member in the International Telecommunication Union’s 2007 Council session.  The Council acts much like a board of directors for the ITU, with members elected from five world regions – the Americas, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia – to manage the overall operations of the ITU.

One important topic considered during this year’s Council session is the ITU’s role in implementing the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). In 2001, with the lofty and important goal of “bridging the digital divide,” the United Nations endorsed a plan to convene the WSIS in two phases. The first phase was held in Geneva in 2003, where the objective was to develop political support and establish a foundation for the global undertaking. The second phase, held in Tunis in 2005, set in motion an action plan on issues related to Internet governance, financing and implementation.

After much debate among stakeholders, the 2005 WSIS meeting established an Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which meets regularly to discuss policy issues related to the Internet. TIA is watching the IGF discussions very closely, noting that the “hands off” approach to the Internet to date has contributed to its rapid development. While TIA supports the goal of WSIS and the IGF to bridge the digital divide, TIA does not support global micro-management of the Internet, which may ultimately restrict innovation and its continued development, ultimately harming the very constituents WSIS seeks to help.

At the time of publication, the ITU is developing a resolution regarding its role in the WSIS process. The wording and phrasing of the document are being debated in exhaustive detail, according to TIA participants. While the final outcome of these detailed discussions is yet to be determined, the ITU will no doubt continue its involvement in the WSIS process, ensuring that all countries ultimately benefit from the reseources and services the Internet has to offer.

Please contact Ian Martinez at imartinez@tiaonline.org or 703.907.7723 with any questions or comments about TIA's involvement with the ITU and WSIS.

< Back to Top >