Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments

The Administrative Council for Terminal Attachment is an open organization established to: (1) adopt technical criteria and to act as the clearing-house, publishing technical criteria for terminal equipment developed by ANSI-accredited standards development organizations; and (2) establish and maintain a registration database of equipment approved as compliant with the technical criteria. The Administrative Council will not make substantive decisions regarding the development of technical criteria.

Adopt and publish technical criteria for terminal equipment developed by ANSI-accredited standards development organizations to protect the network from harm.
Operate and maintain a database of equipment, approved as compliant with the ACTA-published technical criteria, meeting the requirements of the FCC and the labeling requirements of the U.S. Customs Service.
Establish and maintain an appropriate labeling scheme for terminal equipment.
Respond to inquires from the public regarding the technical criteria published or refer such inquires to the appropriate SDO.
Manage such other tasks as necessary and within its scope that were formerly part of the FCC Part 68 functions.

Meetings of the ACTA will be open to all interested parties, and will be held in the Washington D.C., area or via conference call and virtual meeting technologies. Once established, the Administrative Council shall establish a meeting schedule based upon need, but in no event to be less than four meetings per year. While the views of all parties will be heard and considered by the Administrative Council in its deliberations, only the duly elected members of the Council shall participate in the final vote.

Service Provider Segment (SPS) - The Service Provider interest segment is intended for entities that provide telephone and data communications services over wireline carrier facilities including, but not limited to, incumbent and competitive Local Exchange Carriers (LECs), incumbent and competitive Access Providers, Interexchange Carriers (IXCs), Operator Service Providers, Shared-Tenant Service Providers, Payphone Service Providers, and any other telecommunications or data communications service provider utilizing wireline interfaces to customers. The term â€œservice providerâ€ was chosen because it is a more generic term, and thus is more inclusive, than the old LEC and IXC interest groups which it replaces.

Manufacturer Segment (MS) - The Manufacturer interest segment is intended for entities that produce wireline telephone and data communications equipment including stand-alone products or board-level components of a larger system. Included is telecommunications equipment used by wireline carriers and other service providers to provide telecommunications services and data communications services and includes software integral to such equipment. Examples of telecommunications equipment include central office switching equipment, fiber optic and metallic cabling, electronic connectors, electronic components, telecommunications transport systems and local loop systems providing wireline interfaces to customers. The interest group also includes entities that produce customer premises equipment used to originate, route, or terminate telecommunications and data communications services. Examples of customer premises equipment includes wired telephones, cordless telephones (except cellular), PBX equipment, telephone answering machines, modems and other data communications equipment, such as bridges, routers, and gateways. The term "manufacturer" was chosen because it is a more generic term, and thus is more inclusive, than the old TEM and NEM interest groups which it replaces.

Testing Laboratories Segment (LAB) - The Testing Laboratories interest segment is intended for independent, neutral Third Parties (i.e., testing laboratories) that provide regulatory compliance testing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations and ACTA requirements for wireline attachments to the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). The laboratory also may provide Certifications under the Telecommunications Certifying Bodies (TCB) program for wireline attachments.

Other Interested Parties Segment (OIP) - The Other Interested Parties interest segment is an overarching term intended for take in those entities that cannot be easily categorized in the other interest group segments noted above. Entities that have material or direct interest in the services and equipment associated with wireline telecommunications and their relationship with Part 68 are those most likely to be considered in this ACTA Council segment. Examples of possible OIP members include consumer groups, advocacy organizations, law firms, and consultants.

Both the Service Provider interest segment and Manufacturer interest segments are entitled to four (4) voting members and an alternate member. Both the Laboratory interest segment and Other Interested Parties interest segment are entitled to two (2) voting members and an alternate member. Both primary and alternate members will serve two-year terms on the Council. Interest segment representatives (members) are expected to participate in all Council activities and to represent the interests of their respective segment. Members are expected to be prepared and knowledgeable of the issues before the Council in order to facilitate effective discussion, examination and ultimate resolution. The alternate from each interest segment shall fully participate but only vote in the absence or disability of either primary representative from that interest segment.

A non-voting chair shall be elected by a plurality of the Administrative Council members, and shall serve for a term of two-years. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Council and ensure that the principles and procedures established by the Council are adhered to. The chair shall also perform such other duties and exercise such powers as may be necessary to enact the business of the Council. The chair shall not engage in or use the position to influence the decision-making process of the Council.

Interest Segment Representatives and Alternates shall be elected by a plurality of votes from their respective Interest Segment Company/Organization Voting Participants. Notice of all elections shall be given via the ACTA Web Site and the appropriate Interest Segment e-mail exploder lists. Nominations shall be accepted from all interested parties provided the nomination is accompanied by: (1) a resume or other document detailing the nominee's applicable experience and (2) a letter of support from the nominee's employer. Ballots shall be distributed and submitted electronically and tallied pursuant to a predefined process detailed in the notice of election. The ACTA Secretariat shall announce the election results. In the event of a tie between any nominees, an election between the tied nominees shall be conducted.

The chair shall be elected by a plurality of the Interest Segment Representatives present at the time of the election. No proxies will be accepted. Notice of an election for chair shall be given via the ACTA Web Site and the Interest Segment e-mail exploder lists. Nominations shall be accepted from all interested parties provided the nomination is accompanied by: (1) a resume or other document detailing the nominee's applicable experience and (2) a letter of support from the nominee's employer. The ballot shall be conducted in secret and the ballots shall be tallied and the winner announced by the ACTA Secretariat. In the event of a tie between any nominees, an election between the tied nominees shall be conducted.