Telecom Industry Calls for Increased Federal Funding for Basic Research to Assure Long-Term Competitiveness; TIA Holds Press Conference at GLOBALCOMM(TM) 2006

Increased U.S. government funding is imperative for
basic research in communications technologies and applications to
assure the United States remains a leader in the fiercely competitive
global market. That was one of the messages delivered today at the new
GLOBALCOMM(TM) exhibition and conferences organized by the 600-member
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).
"Research is the backbone of the communications industry, a
critical national resource and the fuel that keeps America's
innovation engine running," says TIA President Matthew J. Flanigan. He
opened a press conference panel with seven top executives from TIA's
Communications Research Division (CRD) during the association's new
five-day information and communications technology trade show at
Chicago's McCormick Place.
Calling basic research "the building block for the future
development of advanced telecommunications products and services,"
Flanigan urges "more focused funding and new partnerships between
industry, government and universities..."
The trade association created TIA's CRD last year to advocate for
more federal funding for communications-specific, pre-competitive,
basic research and to ensure that the U.S. communications industry
remains a world leader in advanced research.
The chief technologist panel represents ANDA Networks, Bechtel
Telecommunications, Bell Labs - Lucent Technologies, Global
Consultants Inc., Qualcomm, Telcordia Technologies and Westell. They
all call for dedicated federal research funding in broadband
technologies, interoperable mobile communications, networking
architectures, network and homeland security, and nanotechnology.
The industry's view is basic research has a 20-year horizon, but
publicly traded corporations are vulnerable to market pressures and
the desire of shareholders to improve short-term profitability; hence,
basic research often is deemphasized resulting in the critical need
for federal funding.
To learn more about TIA's CRD, visit
http://www.tiaonline.org/policy/committees/communications.cfm.
TIA's new GLOBALCOMM(TM) trade show concludes here on Wednesday at
3 p.m., and is expected to attract 20,000 industry and government
attendees from 100 countries.

TIA is the leading trade association for the information and
communications technology (ICT) industry. As owner and producer of
GLOBALCOMM(TM), TIA serves ICT suppliers to global markets through its
leadership in standards development, domestic and international policy
advocacy, and facilitating member business opportunities. TIA is
accredited by ANSI to develop American National Standards used by the
industry domestically and globally. TIA represents the communications
sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Visit us at
http://www.tiaonline.org.

GLOBALCOMM(TM) is a trademark of the Telecommunications Industry
Association (TIA). The Next-Generation Communications Marketplace and
Summit will take place June 4-8, 2006, at McCormick Place in Chicago,
Illinois, USA. Visit www.globalcomm2006.com.