WWC snapshot of http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/bluebook/p-13.html taken on Sat Jun 10 22:33:56 1995
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS PROGRAM
The Institute has been involved in the development of international telecommunication standards for many years. This work supports two major goals: to expand U.S. trade opportunities in equipment and services, and to ensure that the various independent sectors of the U.S. telecommunications industry have equivalent opportunity to compete in these international markets. From an international perspective, the problem is to develop technical standards that achieve worldwide network interoperability without restricting technology innovation or inhibiting trade. From a U.S. perspective, the problem is to identify and articulate the common interests in U.S. preparatory committees where many competing organizations are represented. ITS addresses the first problem by promoting the development of international telecommunication standards that specify essential network capabilities without presupposing any particular product or technology. ITS addresses the second problem by providing impartial, expert technical leadership of U.S. preparatory committees (and the U.S. Delegations to international standardsmeetings)asrequested by U.S. industry and the U.S. Department of State. An Institute staff member currently heads the U.S. Delegation to ITU-T Study Group 13 (General Network Aspects), the international standards group with principal responsibility for the development of technical standards for Broadband ISDNs. This work has contributed strongly to the successful development of international standards defining the Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Another Institute staff member provides international leadership for the ITU-T Study Group 13 Working Party on Network Performance. Institute staff members also provide technical contributions to ITU-T Study Group 12 (End-to-End Transmission Performance of Networks and Terminals) and 15 (Transmission Systems and Equipment). Institute staff members have spearheaded the development of over a dozen CCITT and ITU-T recommendations on telecommunications performance. These activities are enhancing the quality and interoperability of telecommunications worldwide and creating new market opportunities for U.S. telecommunications providers.
