TIA Invites Industry to Participate in Development of New Supply Chain Security Standard Program

New verifiable standard will be annexed to TIA QuEST Forum’s TL 9000 Quality Management System

Arlington, VA (April 02, 2020) –– The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today announced that it is creating a new and critically-needed supply chain security standard for the Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry and that team and sub-team roles are open for participation. The initiative is being led by TIA’s QuEST Forum, which has a two decade-long history of developing globally accepted, industry-driven standards and programs designed specifically to help improve and protect the quality and integrity of telecommunications supply chains.

“TIA understands the critical importance of securing the telecommunications supply chain and that’s why we’re rolling out this program to help the industry create this new standard,” said TIA CEO David Stehlin.  “Our meetings, for the foreseeable future, will be held in a private virtual format, which is allowing our dedicated teams to continue their important work during the COVID-19 pandemic. TIA will continue to build the trust in the ICT industry by facilitating the development of this impactful and verifiable standard which will significantly improve the security of our telecommunications infrastructure.”

Managed under the umbrella of its successful QuEST Forum TL 9000 Quality Management System, TIA has established a new team with various positions to fill with industry participants who will begin defining the new standard’s framework and assessment program. TIA has thus far gathered representatives from 21 different companies for this new standard, including service providers, suppliers, consultants, and more. The goal of this new standard development is to enable a measurable and verifiable process to ensure ICT networks and their supporting infrastructure are as secure and reliable as possible.

TIA has published a position paper entitled, “Trust in ICT Supply Chain Security Can Only Come from Global Industry-Driven Standards and Programs” that outlines how the ICT supply chain is currently vulnerable to sophisticated threats which could disrupt business operations, impact consumer confidence and affect the rollout of enabling new technologies. The paper also details how industry-driven standards are the ideal solution to securing the supply chains for ICT networks and TIA’s long history of leading the development of critical standards.

To download TIA’s position paper, CLICK HERE.

Industry experts interested in participating in TIA’s Supply Chain Security standards development and programs can contact Ken Koffman, Senior Vice President at TIA, at kkoffman@tiaonline.org.

 

 

 

Contact

Dan Brown, (301) 219-8605, 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). For more information, visit www.TIAonline.org.