DSL Forum
The DSL Forum was formed in late 1994 to help telephone companies and their suppliers realize the enormous market potential of DSL. Our assistance comes in two forms -- technical and marketing. The Forum's marketing programs attempt to uncomplicate DSL's inherent technical complexity and spread the news. The Forum's public output therefore mixes the tutorial with the promotional. With nearly 300 members, the Forum consists of the key members of the communications, networking and computer industries.

 



PacketCable
PacketCable is a project conducted by Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. and its member companies aimed at identifying, qualifying, and supporting Internet-based voice and video products over cable systems. These products will represent new classes of services utilizing cable-based packet communication networks. New service classes include telephone calls and videoconferencing over cable networks and the Internet. The services would be delivered using the basic Internet Protocol (IP) technology that is used to send data via the Internet.

 

Softswitch Consortium
The Softswitch Consortium is the international organization for global coordination of internetworking technology developments pertaining to Internet-based, real-time interactive communications.

The Softswitch Consortium is described on its own website as follows:

"Many applications emulate circuit switching in software, hence the name Softswitch.

"The purpose of the Consortium is to support rapid advancement of application development for the evolving Internet protocol networks which support both voice and multimedia communications. Internet protocol networks are built on distributed call control servers generally called call agents, media gateway controllers, softswitches, and 'media gateways.'

"The Consortium promotes worldwide compatibility and interoperability; identifying, selecting, augmenting as appropriate, the development and distribution of standard interfaces for call agents, media gateways, and applications."

 

Telecommunications Industry Association
TIA is a full-service national trade organization with membership of 1000 large and small companies that provide communications and information technology products, materials, systems, distribution services and professional services in the United States and around the world. The association's member companies manufacture or supply virtually all of the products used in global communication networks.