FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 22, 2008

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Revises Terminal Equipment Labeling Standard

Update Eliminates Ringer Equivalence Number ‘ZZ,’ Ringer Type ‘Z’

Arlington, Va. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, has revised its standard TIA-168-A, Telecommunications—Telephone Terminal Equipment—Labeling Requirements.

The TIA-168-B, Telecommunications Telephone Terminal Equipment Labeling Requirements, specifies approved standards for labeling telephone terminal equipment. The revised version of TIA-168-A eliminates the ringer type “Z” and reduces the pool of valid equipment REN (ringer equivalent number) codes. REN is an indication of the ringer load a telephone places on the line during an on-hook state. A REN of 1 is the equivalent loading of the generic style 500 telephone. The sum of all telephones on a single line could not exceed a REN of 5, to insure proper signaling during a ringing state. The “Z” ringer type was an REN number beyond the typical load limit that was conditionally allowed by the local telephone operating company at their discretion. This Z ringer type was typically used on telephones with an older style message waiting lamp indicator. Grandfathering provisions were made for existing equipment using those codes. The equipment-labeling standard was revised to reflect TIA-968-A-4,Technical Requirements for Connection of Terminal Equipment to the Telephone Network, which eliminated use of the conditional “Z” ringer type for new telephone terminal equipment after August 2007.

TIA-168-B was formulated under the cognizance of the TIA TR-41, User Premises Telecommunications Requirements Committee Subcommittee TR-41.9, Technical and Administrative Regulatory Considerations.

To obtain copies of the document, contact IHS International at +1.800.854.7179 (United States and Canada); +1.303.397.7796 (international) or visit global.ihs.com.

For technical information, please contact Ronda Coulter: rcoulter@tiaonline.org. For media inquiries, please contact Mike Snyder: msnyder@tiaonline.org.

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TR-41 member companies include: 4-WINDS LLP, ADTRAN, Advent Instruments, Inc., AST Technology Labs, Inc., AT&T Labs, Avaya, Belden Networks Division, Berk-Tek, Bourns Limited, Broadcom Corporation, Catena Networks, Cisco Systems, Inc., CML Microcircuits (USA) Inc., CommScope Network Division, Corning Incorporated, CSI Telecommunications, Dietrich Lockard Group, Inc., EMBARQ Corporation, Ericsson Inc., FAL Associates, Fluke Networks, Fultec Semiconductor Inc., Gemalto INC, Hewlett-Packard (formerly BT&D Technologies), Industry Canada, Intel Corporation, Intrado, Littelfuse Inc., Maz-Sky Canadian International Group, Inc., Motorola Inc., National Communications System, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel Networks, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company, Plantronics, RTKL Associates Inc., Telcordia Technologies, Thomson Inc., TIA, Tyco Electronics, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, UL Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Uniden America Corporation, VTech Communications, Westell Technologies, Inc., and Wiltec Technologies.

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, tradeshows, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory analysis. With roots dating back to 1924, TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members’ products and services empower voice, video and data communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment and entertainment.

TIA co-owns SUPERCOMM® (formerly NXTcomm), the ICT industry tradeshow that showcases the business and technology solutions enabled by advanced broadband services and applications; is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); serves as the secretariat for the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2); holds Board of Director positions on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) TELECOM and USITO Boards; and hosts the USA pavilions in ITU trade fairs worldwide.

More than 1,100 subject matter experts and other industry leaders participate in TIA’s 70+ standards committees and TIA has produced more than 3,000 standards documents. From mobile and personal communications systems to fiber optics and cabling infrastructure, from vehicular telematics and terrestrial mobile multimedia to healthcare ICT, TIA’s engineering committees work to formulate positions and prepare international standards and reports for use by industry and government.

Located in Washington D.C., TIA’s government affairs office works to advance global innovation and investment in wireline, wireless, cable and satellite platforms by educating lawmakers, stakeholders and the public on emerging technologies as well as policies that will facilitate their entry to the marketplace. TIA’s many endeavors include promoting universal broadband deployment; fostering technology neutrality; enabling information access for persons with disabilities; ensuring efficient spectrum management and allocation of additional spectrum to advance wireless services and public safety; facilitating market opportunities by promoting full, fair and open trade and competition in international markets; and ensuring that the U.S. communications sector continues to be a leader in advanced research.

On the environmental front, TIA’s EIATRACK subscription-based web service, on the Web at eiatrack.com, enables companies to track up-to-date information on environmental regulations around the world. TIA’s ecyclingcentral.com service lists recycling centers for electronics in every state of the U.S. Finally, TIA standards have fostered green practices and TIA is continuing to work on ways to reduce carbon footprint and increase energy efficiency within the ICT industry.

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, ILS Technology, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Verari Systems, Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, Orca Systems and Telcordia Technologies.

TIA membership enhances the ability of companies to prepare for the future of communications. TIA brings people and businesses together by helping the industry overcome technical and political barriers to communications. Visit tiaonline.org for details.

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