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

Committee T1 Signs Cooperation Agreements with TTC and ACIF Recognizing Collaboration in Worldwide Standards Development

November 9, 2001, Washington, D.C. - The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), on behalf of Accredited Standards Committee T1 (Committee T1), recently signed Cooperation Agreements with the Telecommunication Technology Committee (TTC) of Japan and the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF), formalizing collaborative relationships on standards development activities.

Susan Miller, president and CEO of ATIS, signed on behalf of Committee T1. Nobuhiro Horisaki, Executive Managing Director of TTC, and Johanna Plante, CEO of ACIF, signed on behalf of their respective organizations during the Global Standards Collaboration 7, Global Radio Standardization 10 (GSC7/RAST10) meetings held in Sydney, Australia, on November 5, 2001. The Global Standards Collaboration and Radio Standardization meetings provide a framework for exchanging information, establishing objectives to accelerate the process of global telecommunication and radio standards development and promote interconnectivity and interoperability.

A delegation of Committee T1 representatives were present for the signing ceremony including Ray Hapeman, Committee T1 Chairman and Wayne Zeuch, Committee T1 Vice Chairman.

"The Cooperation Agreements represent a commitment toward collaboration between standards development organizations worldwide," said Susan Miller, president and CEO of ATIS. "It is important that we continue to share information on respective work activities in the development of international standards."

The Telecommunication Technology Committee (TTC), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a private standardization organization that contributes to standards development by establishing protocols and standards for interconnection between telecommunications networks and terminal equipment.

The Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) is an industry owned, resourced and operated company established to implement and manage communication self-regulation within Australia. ACIF's role is to develop and administer technical and operating arrangements that promote both the long-term interests of end-users and the efficiency and international competitiveness of the Australian communications industry.

About Standards Committee T1

Standards Committee T1 develops American National Standards, technical reports and technical requirements for telecommunications services, network interconnection, interoperability, and performance. Committee T1 provides technical input to the United States Department of State supporting U.S. participation in international standards bodies. More than 1,000 telecommunications engineers and technologists bring their expertise to Committee T1's six technical subcommittees. Committee T1 is a founding member of the Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) group of regional standards development organizations and works closely with the FCC on network reliability issues. Committee T1 is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). More information is available by visiting the Committee T1 Web site at www.t1.org. Committee T1 documents are available at the ATIS Document Center, located at www.atis.org.

About ATIS

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a member company organization that defines standards and operating procedures for the telecommunications industry. Nearly 1,500 experts from 400 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. More information is available at www.atis.org.

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