For Immediate Release
1200 G Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
202/628-6380
202/393-5453 (fax)
Contact: John Bernhards
Director of Public Relations
Phone: 202/434-8850
E-mail: jbernhards@atis.org
|
|
|
|
For Immediate Release
|
|
|
|
ATIS Announces Sponsorship of International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) Oversight Council
July 3, 2001, Washington, D.C. - The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) has announced that it now serves as sponsor of the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) Oversight Council, or IOC. The IOC was previously known as the IMSI Management Forum.
The IOC is an open industry committee of telecommunications companies and other organizations with a direct interest in the management of IMSI codes. An IMSI is a 15-digit number used within mobile phones that allows service operators to identify mobile terminals, for purposes of international roaming. The IOC is responsible for overseeing the management of IMSI codes that have been assigned to the United States and its possessions as authorized by the U.S. Department of State since 1996.
"The IOC voted unanimously to become a sponsored industry committee under ATIS," said IOC Chairman Fred Gaechter of Telcordia Technologies. "We believe that ATIS serves as the most appropriate venue for the administration of the council."
"ATIS is extremely pleased to serve as the sponsor of the IOC, and supports its efforts to ensure that international roaming is successfully implemented and made available to wireless customers everywhere," said ATIS President & CEO Susan Miller.
The IOC is responsible for the "IMSI Administration and Maintenance Guidelines," a document that establishes procedures for assigning IMSI codes. In recent months, the council established several agreements to update the guidelines to reflect the current ITU Recommendation E.212, expanding the use of IMSIs to include mobile and wireline based terminals.
The next meeting of the IOC will take place July 10 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern Time by means of virtual meeting software. For more information contact Megan Hayes at 202-662-8653 (email: mhayes@atis.org).
####
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a member company organization that defines standards and operating procedures for the telecommunications industry. Nearly 3,000 experts from 500 telecommunications companies participate in ATIS committees, whose work focus includes network interconnection standards, number portability, improved data transmission, wireless communications, Internet telephony, toll-free access, and order and billing issues. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) frequently refers operations issues to ATIS committees for recommended solutions. Members of ATIS and committee participants include, but are not limited to, telecommunications service providers, manufacturers, software developers, resellers, enhanced service providers, and providers of operations support.
Information on ATIS is available on the World Wide Web at www.atis.org, by contacting the ATIS headquarters at 202-628-6380, or by writing to: ATIS, 1200 G Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005.
-30-