Arlington, VA (September 21, 2015) – The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, today announced that Brian Scarpelli, Director of Government Affairs at TIA, has been appointed by the FCC to co-chair a key advisory group on cybersecurity for the core public communications network.

The Secure Hardware and Software – Security by Design working group (WG 6) under the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) is responsible for providing recommendations to FCC Chairman Wheeler on voluntary best practices for network equipment manufacturers to make the nation’s core communications network more secure, resilient and defendable from cyber-attacks.

“Our nation’s critical communications systems are the backbone of our economy,” said TIA CEO Scott Belcher. “These systems support the connectivity that every other industry relies upon to do business and is integral to our daily lives. With the ever-increasing risk from cyber-attacks, it is important that industry work hand-in-hand with public sector partners to protect our critical communications infrastructure. I am pleased the FCC has chosen Brian to lead this important working group – he is an expert in cybersecurity and communications and will serve the FCC well. TIA looks forward to leading in the development of working group’s recommendations.”

Today, CSRIC will meet on 1:00 p.m. ET in the FCC Headquarters in Washington, D.C. to hear progress reports from the CSRIC’s Steering Committee and each of its working groups. The meeting will be stream lived on FCC’s website here.

The CSRIC is a federal advisory committee that provides recommendations to the FCC regarding best practices and actions the Commission can take to help ensure security, reliability, and interoperability of communications systems and infrastructure. The Council’s Security by Design working group is co-chaired by TIA and CBS Corporation, which is represented by CBS’s Chief Information Security Officer, Joel Molinoff. 

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global high-tech communications networks through standards development, policy and advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence, and events and networking. TIA enhances the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members’ products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment, and entertainment. Visit tiaonline.org for more details.