TIA and The Safer Buildings Coalition Sign Mutual Membership Agreement

Arlington, VA (June 22, 2020) –– The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today announced it has joined the Safer Buildings Coalition (SBC), an independent, not for profit organization providing thought leadership and education focused on advancing policies, ideas, and technologies that ensure effective in-building communications capabilities for public safety personnel and the people they serve.

TIA and the Safer Buildings Coalition signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 15, 2020 to support collaboration on standards and best practices that are key to advancing the safety of the public in the built environment, with a specific focus on smart technologies and wireless communications inside of buildings. In the agreement, the Safer Buildings Coalition has also joined the TIA Smart Buildings Program as a Participant.

“We are excited to join the Safer Buildings Coalition and to have their participation in our Smart Buildings Program,” said Marta Soncodi, TIA Smart Buildings Program Director. “TIA has a long history of supporting first response and public safety initiatives through work done in TIA’s TR-8 Engineering Committee, which focuses on mobile and private radio interoperability standards. Safety will always be a critical component to building operations and our organizations and members will mutually benefit from our collaboration in the advancement of smart buildings.”

“The members and staff of the Safer Buildings Coalition are excited to join together with TIA to collaborate on fostering and advocating for safe, smart buildings,” said John Foley, Managing Director of the Safer Buildings Coalition. “Now more than ever public safety agencies, and the public they protect, must have ubiquitous, reliable communications while inside buildings. We look forward to working side by side with TIA and their member organizations to further that mission.”

About TIA’s Smart Building Program:

Modeled after the organizational structure and processes of TIA’s QuEST Forum, TIA’s Smart Buildings Program brings together professionals from across the smart building ecosystem, including the commercial real estate, engineering, construction and ICT industries into a standards-oriented working group. The TIA Smart Buildings Program is comprised of a Working Group with various teams focused on developing comprehensive and measurable assessment criteria that addresses 6 primary areas of a smart building: connectivity, power and energy, safety, security, sustainability, and health and wellbeing. TIA’s Smart Building Program is made possible, in part, by the Program’s founding sponsors, Corning and T-Mobile.

To join TIA’s Smart Building Program Working Group, send an email to sbinfo@tiaonline.org

About the Safer Buildings Coalition

The Safer Buildings Coalition is a 501(c)4 not for profit focused on in-building technologies that protect the public.

The Three Pillars of In-Building Public Safety Communications:

  • Mobile 911 Calls Must Get Out with Location Accuracy
  • Mobile Mass Notifications Must Get In
  • First Responder Communications Must Work

Visit us at www.saferbuildings.org

SBC CONTACT: Mikkel Schultz, (215) 429-0966, mikkel.schultz@saferbuildings.org

Contact

Dan Brown, (703) 907-7074 x206, dbrown@tiaonline.org

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents more than 400 global companies that enable high-speed communications networks and accelerate next-generation ICT innovation. Through leadership in U.S. and international advocacy, technology programs and standards development, and business performance solutions, TIA and its members are accelerating global connectivity across every industry and market. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).