For Immediate Release
ATIS Contact: John Bernhards Director of Public Relations Phone: 202/434-8850 E-mail: jbernhards@atis.org	NIST Contact: Collier Smith Phone: 303/497-3198 E-mail: smithcn@boulder.nist.gov

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Standards Committee T1 Announce Workshop to Explore Synchronization in Telecommunications Systems

March 19, 2002, Washington, D.C. - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Time and Frequency Division and Standards Committee T1 Technical Subcommittee T1X1 - sponsored by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) - announced today that the "2002 Workshop on Synchronization in Telecommunications Systems" will be held from May 21-22, 2002, at the NIST laboratories in Boulder, Colorado.

The workshop will present current requirements, problems and methods of synchronization in telecommunications systems. The most current practical and theoretical issues will be addressed, including the history of network synchronization; time and frequency statistics; clock architectures of the future; synchronization in SONET at Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM); and synchronization in wireless and 3G networks. Additional workshop information is available at http://www.boulder.nist.gov/timefreq/seminars/t1x1.html.

Datum, a global supplier of carrier-class synchronization solutions, will support and assist NIST in planning and coordinating the workshop on behalf of Committee T1.

"Synchronization and timing are critical components of today's optical and wireless networks," said Ken Biholar of Alcatel USA Inc., and chairman of T1X1, the T1 Technical Subcommittee responsible for "Digital Hierarchy and Synchronization." Biholar continued, "The T1X1/NIST Workshop will provide attendees with an excellent understanding and discussion of important and up-to-date synchronization concepts with key scientists from NIST and leading subject matter experts from the telecommunications industry."

Technical Subcommittee T1X1 develops and recommends standards and prepares technical reports related to telecommunications network technology pertaining to network synchronization interfaces and hierarchical structures for U.S. telecommunications networks. The Time and Frequency Division of NIST maintains the standard for frequency and time interval for the United States, provides official time to the U.S., and carries out a broad program of research and service activities in time and frequency metrology.

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. 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 via the Committee T1 Web site at www.t1.org.

About NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration, was founded in 1901 as the nation's first federal physical science research laboratory. Over the years, the scientists and technical staff at NIST have made solid contributions to a broad and varied range of technologies, including such things as image processing, DNA diagnostic "chips," smoke detectors, and automated error-correcting software for machine tools. Other areas in which NIST has had major impact include atomic clocks, X-ray standards for mammography, scanning tunneling microscopy, pollution-control technology, and high-speed dental drills. For more information visit www.nist.gov.

About ATIS

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a member company organization that is the leader for standards and operating procedures for the telecommunications industry. More than 1,500 experts from over 400 telecommunications companies participate in ATIS' 17 committees, forums, and Incubator Solutions programs, where work focus includes network interconnection standards, number portability, improved data transmission, wireless communications, Internet telephony, toll-free access, and order and billing issues. ATIS is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Visit the ATIS web site at www.atis.org.

About Datum Inc.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Datum, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets advanced, cost-effective network synchronization, timing and frequency solutions for telecommunications, computer networks, satellite systems, and test and measurement applications. With more than 150,000 solutions in operation worldwide, Datum is a leading supplier of embedded and external carrier-class synchronization solutions. Additional information about the critical role of timing as well as Datum-Austin's NetSyncPlus® product family and TimePieces(tm) chipset synchronization family is available at www.datum.com.

-30-