ARLINGTON, Va.  – In a letter sent to the leadership of the House Communications Subcommittee, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leading association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, expressed support for FirstNet and urged Congress to fully fund the program.

In the letter, TIA President Grant Seiffert said, “TIA and its member companies in the ICT industry are committed to ensuring that the nation’s first responders will benefit from state-of-the-art technology. FirstNet holds the promise of creating a rich ecosystem of broadband applications while exploiting economies of scale…To realize these benefits, Congress must ensure that FirstNet is adequately funded. This includes ensuring that the $7 billion in funds allocated to FirstNet from the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 becomes available as planned.”

About TIA
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents manufacturers and suppliers of global 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.

TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and is a proud sponsor of ANSI’s Standards Boost Business campaign. Visit www.standardsboostbusiness.org for details.