Standards projects and technical documents at TIA are formulated according to the guidelines established in the TIA Engineering Manual.
A potential project is initiated by a technical contribution to one of the Engineering Committees or Subcommittees. If there is support for this contribution and committee (or subcommittee) members are willing to work on the project, a Project Initiation Notice (PIN) form is completed and submitted for approval to TIA. After the project is approved and has a project number (PN number), the committee members create a draft of the proposed standard.
When the draft is near completion, the formulating Engineering Committee circulates it internally on a ballot called a "Committee Letter Ballot" or "PN ballot." The purpose of this ballot is to identify any unresolved issues and to establish consensus within the formulating group. Every effort is made to resolve comments received. During this phase of the standards-making process, the draft of the document is not released to the general public.
If the document is intended to be an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard, the draft with the changes resulting from the PN ballot must be circulated as an industry-wide ballot, also known as a "Standards Proposal" (SP) or Pink Ballot. The purpose is to obtain industry consensus. The project number changes from PN- to SP-. During the balloting period, any interested party may cast their vote. It is not necessary to be a TIA member. A party can respond in three ways: affirmative, affirmative with comment, or negative with comment. Every attempt is made to resolve comments received at this phase of balloting. During this phase of balloting, the SP Ballot can be purchased through Global Engineering Documents.
When industry consensus of the final draft is reached, the document is forwarded with all its balloting history to a review group at TIA called the Technical Standards Subcommittee (TSSC). If the document is intended to be an ANSI Standard, the same information is forwarded to the ANSI Board of Standards Review (BSR) with a request for approval.
The TSSC and BSR ensure that TIA and ANSI due process and other requirements have been met. After this review, the document is approved for publication as a TIA Standard.
All ANSI standards must be reviewed every five years to ensure that they stay current. At this review, the standard may be reaffirmed, modified (revised), or rescinded.
Standards are prepared under the certification of ANSI. They are balloted in an industry ballot in which any member of the industry, whether or not a TIA member, can vote. These are also termed Industry Standards. Standards issued before 1988 have the prefix EIA-. Standards issued between 1988 and 1992 have the prefix EIA/TIA-. Standards issued since 1992 have the prefix TIA/EIA-. All ANSI standards must be reviewed every five years to ensure that they stay current. At this review, the standard may be reaffirmed, modified (revised), or rescinded.
Interim standards are intended as temporary, or trial-use, and must be reaffirmed every year. Interim standards are balloted within the formulating committee only. They are not sent for industry ballot, nor are they approved by the ANSI Board of Standards Review (BSR).
Telecommunications Systems Bulletins (TSBs) are addenda to or explanatory comments about an industry standard or an interim standard. TSBs are often integrated into the next revision of a standard.
User Premises Equipment Division
The User Premises Equipment Division (UPED) is sponsored by TR-29 Facsimile Systems and Equipment, TR-30 Data Transmission Systems and Equipment, and TR-41 User Premises Telecommunication Equipment Requirements.
Network Equipment Division
The Network Equipment Division is sponsored by TR-14 Point-to-Point Communications Systems.
Satellite Communications Division
The Satellite Communications Division is sponsored by TR-34 Satellite Equipment and Systems.
Wireless Communications Division (formerly Mobile and Personal Communications Division)
The Wireless Communications Division is sponsored by TR-8 Private Land Mobile Radio, TR-32, Personal Radio Equipment, TR-45, Mobile and Personal Communications at 800 MHz, and TR-46, Mobile and Personal Communications at 1800 MHz.
Fiber Optics Division
The Fiber Optics Division is sponsored by FO-2, Optical Communications, and FO-6, Fiber Optic Components.
The Technical Advisory Groups of the JTC(Air):
JTC Technology JTC J-STD ATIS Air TIA Air Notes
TAG Air Interface: Interface
Interface: LB- PN-
1 Composite 459 3390 To become IS-661*.
CDMA/TDMA
2 IS-95-based 008 460 3384
(CDMA)
3 PACS 014 477 3418 Unlicensed work on
(PHP-based) two versions in
PN-3519 and PN-3520
4 IS-136 based 011 464 3388
(TDMA)
5 DCS based 007 461 3389 Also called PCS-1900
6 DCT based
7 W-CDMA 015 478 3502 To become IS-665*
(WACS based)
*IS (Interim Standard) is a TIA term. T1 uses the term "Trial Use Standard"
(c) Copyright 1997-2001. Communications Standards Review.
This page was last updated January 11, 2001.