TIA Responds to OFR Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Petition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TIA CONTACT: EILEEN BRAMLET, TIA, +1.703.907.7749, ebramlet@tiaonline.org
PR CONTACT: BETH DOZIER, RATIONAL 360, +1.202.429.1833, bethdozier@rational360.com  

TIA Responds to OFR Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Petition

ARLINGTON, VA (May 31, 2012) - On Thursday, May 31, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) submitted input to the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (OFR), in response to its announcement of a petition for rulemaking and invitation for comments on a request from a number of law school professors requesting that 1 CFR Part 51 be revised to define “reasonably available” and to include several requirements related to the statutory obligation that material incorporated by reference be reasonably available. TIA considers this proposal submitted to the OFR to be without merit and wholly opposes it. TIA notes in its comments that interpreting “reasonably available” in a way that respects vested rights in copyrighted material – as the OFR has long done – is not only consistent with existing law and legal precedent, but also with recent Executive branch and independent Federal agency recommendations. TIA goes on to explain that, under the current standardization system in the United States, market-driven open standards help promote competition and innovation, and such standards are developed or ratified through a voluntary, open and consensus-based process. To consent to the request of this petition would seriously jeopardize this ecosystem of trust through which companies and governmental entities can convene to create standards for industry-wide use.

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members' products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.

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