FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 9, 2008

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Supports the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement

Agreement Provides Reciprocal Access for U.S. Exports to Colombia

Washington, D.C. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) announced its support today for passage of the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, which President Bush transmitted to Congress on April 8. Colombian exports to the United States already enjoy preferential tariff access under the Andean Trade Preference Act, which Congress extended earlier this year. Passage of the U.S. Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement ensures that U.S. exports to Colombia will receive reciprocal treatment, thus decreasing the costs of U.S. goods in the Colombian marketplace.

"Exports of WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA) covered products, which includes telecommunications equipment produced by TIA members, accounts for 15% of U.S. industrial exports to Colombia - an approximate value of $750 million," stated TIA President Grant Seiffert. "The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion agreement will help to increase those exports by eliminating Colombian tariffs on telecommunications equipment," Seiffert continued.

The Agreement will allow companies in Colombia to expand their telecommunications networks more economically while positively contributing to Colombia's economic and infrastructure development. The U.S. Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement will also help ensure an open and competitive telecommunications market in Colombia with guarantees for U.S. companies to have nondiscriminatory access to local networks.

TIA urges Congress to approve the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and will work with its 600 member companies and other industry associations to encourage Congress to support this Agreement.

For more information about TIA's government affairs initiatives, please contact Danielle Coffey at dcoffey@tiaonline.org. For information about TIA, please contact twalsh@tiaonline.org.

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About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industries through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory compliance. With support from its 600 members, TIA enhances the business environment for companies involved in telecommunications, broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite, unified communications, emergency communications and the greening of technology. TIA is accredited by ANSI. TIA's policy team opened its Washington, D.C., headquarters on Capitol Hill in January 2008. Visit www.tiaonline.org for details.

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, ArrayComm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology and Orca Systems.