In the News

The M-Enabling Summit Gains Widespread Industry and Community Support. TIA is a proud sponsor of the M-Enabling Summit.

New Initiatives to Advance M2M Communications and the Internet of Things Coming from TIA
TMCnet
April 23, 2013

“The tech and telecom industries are at a critical crossroads when it comes to advancing the development of machine-to-machine technologies,” said Grant Seiffert, president of the TIA. “IoT and M2M present billions of dollars in economic potential, opportunities to transform industries and hope for improving lives. But all of this potential is at great risk if businesses, governments and academia don’t work closely together to set clear standards, address barriers to growth and anticipate future opportunities. A top initiative for TIA this year is to foster high-level discussions and convene leading players to chart an effective future for M2M.”

House Passes CISPA Despite White House Veto Threat
Communications Daily (also in Washington Internet Daily)
April 19, 2013 (Subscription Only)

Telecommunications Industry Association President Grant Seiffert commended passage as "an important step toward giving the private sector a powerful tool in the fight to improve network security."

House approves CISPA (again)
FierceGovernmentIT
April 18, 2013

The Telecommunications Industry Association meanwhile sent out a statement that House passage of the bill "will help ensure that business have access to the vital information necessary to defend against cyber-attacks."

TIA Tackles IoT, M2M Issues
CT Daily
April 18, 2013

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) will lead, on behalf of the Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) M2M Standardization Task Force (MSTF), an international conference to focus on the “Internet of Things (IoT)” and M2M standards and protocols. The event is set for May 7 at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta. TIA also will host a M2M-Cybersecurity Workshop, “Enabling Adoption for All,” June 4-5 at TIA headquarters in Arlington, Va., to explore how M2M and cybersecurity intersect as a critical path toward accelerating IoT and M2M adoption. M2M-Cybersecurity Workshop speakers will address ways in which cybersecurity is critical for widespread adoption of M2M solutions; they also will discuss how industry and government can work together to help ensure secure communications between devices and across platforms.

Cross-Sector Flexibility, Industry Involvement Key to Cybersecurity Framework, Tech Industry Tells NIST
Communications Daily (also in Consumer Electronics Daily and Washington Internet Daily)
April 10, 2013 (Subscription Only)

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) said NIST and other agencies can help leverage public-private partnerships to address current and emerging threats, and should continue efforts to stimulate additional threat information sharing between the government and industry. The federal government can also aide in funding cybersecurity efforts by addressing “economic barriers” critical infrastructure operators face in addressing security issues, as well as prioritize funding for ICT and cybersecurity research and development, TIA said. While government has an important role to play, industry will need to be the ones to set and adopt the framework, TIA said.

WIRELESS
Communications Daily
March 27, 2013 (Subscription Only)

The FCC should take prompt action on a February letter from Telecommunications Industry Association President Grant Seiffert asking the commission to lift an informal ban on the equipment authorization process for Band 14 products, said TIA and member companies in a meeting with Public Safety Bureau Chief David Turetsky. The band covers the 700 MHz spectrum that will form the backbone for the proposed FirstNet. "The representatives stressed the importance for the Commission, as well as other entities involved in the process ... to act on this issue in a timely manner so that the public safety community's demand for National Public Safety Broadband Network-ready Band 14 LTE devices can be met," said a filing on the meeting.

TIA Releases Statement on FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s Resignation
Telecom Reseller
March 22, 2013

In the markets MTN seeks new field for growth after 10 busy years (Subscription Only)
Business Day (also in Jakarta Post)
March 7, 2013

Qualcomm, WLF, Ericsson, and More Comments Opposing the FTC's Google/Motorola Agreement (Subscription Only)
Groklaw
March 7, 2013

For first time, Americans spend more money on data than voice (Subscription Only)
Business Wire (also in State News Service, Bezinga.com, Sun Journal, Fort Mills Times)
March 6, 2013

Google, tech companies relaunch protests against Georgia bill curbing muni broadband (Subscription Only)
Newstex (also in CivSource)
March 5, 2013

Mobile data spending tops voice for the first time
Washington Post
March 5, 2013

U.S. mobile consumers spent $95B on data in 2012, topping what they spent on voice
CNET
March 4, 2013

Cloud, M2M, Cybersecurity Will Lead Telecom Spending
Investor’s Business Daily
March 4, 2013

Sangoma to Address IP and TDM Integration Strategies at the 2013 NCTIA Technology Conference; Session Will Focus on Cost-Effective Strategies to Extend Infrastructure Life While Delivering Leading-Edge Features (Subscription Only)
Marketwire (also in Market News Publishing)
March 4, 2013

TIA TAKES NEW OFFICE IN ARLINGTON: HIGH TECH SPACE WILL SERVE AS CENTER FOR INDUSTRY COLLABORATION AND INFORMATION-SHARING (Subscription Only)
States News Service (also in Targeted News Service)
March 4, 2013

Clarity Hits High Note with Alto
Marketwire
March 4, 2013

Thailand 'should be digital TV hub' (Subscription Only)
Bangkok Post
March 2, 2013

TIA Releases M2M Standards Updates
RadioResource Media Group
February 11, 2013

“The technological solutions for M2M and the IoT need to fit the opportunity,” said TIA President Grant Seiffert. “The OPC Foundation’s standards were an ideal fit with TIA’s efforts to define easy-to-use M2M standards. It’s our intent to focus on the underlying architecture and communications layer to turn the massive growth potential of M2M into a reality.”

Immigration Reform Could Open the Door for IT Talent
E-Commerce Times (also in Forum.Carm.org)
February 6, 2013

"Our companies strongly support efforts to improve the U.S. research ecosystem, including efforts to permit foreign Ph. D. and Masters graduates from U.S. universities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to remain in the United States," said Grant Seiffert, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), in a letter to the Senate sponsors of the bill. "In addition, we support your efforts to increase the allotment of H-1B visas and to improve STEM education efforts in the United States."

WIRELESS
Communications Daily
February 6, 2013 (Subscription Only)

Field hearings the FCC is holding on Superstorm Sandy, which started Tuesday, should help as efforts get under way to launch FirstNet, a national wireless network for first responders, said Telecommunications Industry Association President Grant Seiffert in a news release. "The FCC's hearings are a valuable opportunity for all parties in the public safety communications community to understand the challenges that networks experience when disasters strike," he said. "Given the FCC's significant public safety communication expertise, these hearings should only enhance the Commission's role as a resource to FirstNet."

Potential Impacts of Revised ITRs on Global Companies Remain Unclear
Communications Daily (also in Washington Internet Daily)
January 7, 2013 (Subscription Only)

The U.S. decision not to sign the revised International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) means controversial changes to the treaty-level document will have no effect on U.S. law or the telecom sector's work within the U.S. -- but the treaty's effect on U.S. businesses' dealings internationally remain far less clear, industry experts and insiders say.

Global companies that operate in nations that signed onto the revised ITRs -- and in non-signatory nations -- face the prospect of a "balkanized system" in which they will face differing rules "from one country or region to another," Danielle Coffey, general counsel and vice president-government affairs for the Telecommunications Industry Association, told us. "Like others, we are still reviewing what the impact could be, including particularly problematic provisions related to spam and cyberissues, and will participate in other fora where these issues will surely be raised again," Coffey said.

U.S. Business Groups Flag Discriminatory Treatment in Colombia Market
Inside U.S. Trade
January 4, 2013 (Subscription Only)

Companies such as the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) excoriated the continued existence of India's so-called "indigenous innovation" policies, specifically in the government procurement sector.

TIA also criticized Chinese indigenous innovation policies. Despite China's pledge at the May 2011 Strategic and Economic Dialogue not to create a product catalogue of indigenous innovation products, TIA wrote that "provinces within China have not come in line with the national commitment and are moving forward with establishing such lists, which pose significant barriers to companies trying to access government procurement contracts."

Tech groups Laud R&D Tax Credit Extension in 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal
TheHill.com
January 2, 2013

“The R&D credit has been, and will remain, a cost-effective policy for increasing research activity and producing a dollar-for-dollar increase in research spending," TIA President Grant Seiffert said in a statement.

In a letter sent to House leaders last month, TIA urged Congress to extend the R&D tax credit in its resolution to the so-called fiscal cliff and said that failure to do so "will cause the private sector to immediately drop or scale back research plans, dealing a devastating blow to U.S. competitiveness."

Net Neutrality Rules Remain Divisive Issue Two Years after Approval
Communications Daily
December 31, 2012 (Subscription Only)

Man Of Action: Q&A With Grant Seiffert
Inside Networks
December 17, 2012

Internet calls spur clash over talking in the air
USA Today
November 7, 2012

Tech Industry Offers Congrats, Wish List for Obama
National Journal

US ambassador: Internet fee proposal gaining momentum
The Hill
October 13, 2012

Negotiator urges vigilance on ITU proposals
Politico Pro
October 12, 2012

Seiffert: Dwindling Spectrum Threatens Wireless Revolution
Roll Call
October 4, 2012
 

Industry Quotes                         

“Spectrum auctions will allow for new investment in critical wireless network infrastructure, leading to hundreds of thousands of new jobs as well as improved mobile broadband service for American consumers.  The impact of additional spectrum availability on the U.S. economy, including on ICT manufacturers, will be enormous and cannot be underestimated.” - Statement 9/7

“The rapidly evolving ICT industry is creating jobs and playing a vital role in economic growth in the U.S. and around the globe,” said TIA President Grant Seiffert. “It is essential that cybersecurity policy maintains the flexibility needed to foster growth and opportunity, while protecting critical systems. Our report outlines the dangers of burdensome regulation and offers specific recommendations for effectively securing cyberspace.” - Release 7/23

“We caution against any regulation that treats networked consumer relationships, especially mobile apps, differently from brick and mortar services,” continued Seiffert. “Regulations based on obsolete distinctions about the method of collection, rather than the use of personal information being collected, will harm both the economy and consumers by discouraging the adoption of innovative and empowering technologies.” - Statement 7/12

"$28 million for FCC, $4 million from NTIA, $3 million from RUS, those are dollars that matter and it matters and impacts industry in some way," said Grant Seiffert, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association. Cuts to agency staff numbers could bog down rule-making and "create uncertainty in the marketplace, and then our member companies and the customers and the agencies are afraid to spend money," he said. Cuts to federal travel budgets would prevent public servants from getting out and "kicking the tires and learning how the products and services work outside the Beltway." - Article on 9/20 - Industry Concerned Sequestration Could Roil Telecom Marketplace – Comm Daily on Sequestrian 

-Grant Seiffert, TIA President