FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TIA FOLS Elects 2005 Officers

 
Arlington, Va., April 29th, 2005: The Fiber Optics LAN Section (FOLS) of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has elected its slate of officers for 2005. FOLS serves as an educational resource, providing information to users about the benefits of fiber in customer-owned networks.  
 
Gary Cawley, Business Development Manager at TTelectronics/OPTEK was elected as Section Chair. �We are lucky to have Gary stepping into the role of Section Chair,� said John Struhar, who chaired the FOLS for the past three years. �His understanding of the electronics portion of this industry adds tremendous value to the FOLS by helping us better understand the electronics portion of the network.� Struhar added that Cawley is leading the FOLS at a time when standards development is giving network designers far more options. �The deployment of fiber to the Telecom Enclosure (FTTE) is now supported by TIA-569B �Pathways and Spaces� standard and the TIA 568-B.1 Addendum 5, which together define the telecom enclosure (TE) space and TE cabling. This enables a standards-supported solution that brings the benefits of fiber closer to the user, but keeping costs very low.�  
 
�I am excited to be elected as FOLS chair at this important time in our industry,� confirmed Cawley. �Emerging architectures coupled with the reduced costs of electronics are making fiber a compelling choice.� He added that the FOLS is poised to launch the third generation of its interactive cost model, which allows users to compare the costs of a hierarchical star network architecture, which utilizes fiber in the backbone and UTP copper cable in the horizontal, to architectures that utilize either centralized cabling or FTTE. �Our newest cost model captures the most current choices available to designers and is more flexible and easier to use than our previous versions. We believe that it will become a valuable tool that will help designers and end users better evaluate the options open to them when designing their cabling infrastructure.�  
 
In addition to Cawley the following other leaders in the fiber optic industry have been elected:  
 
� Vice Chair, Dan Harman, 3M.  
� Communication Subcommittee Chair, Rodney Casteel, CommScope, Inc.  
� Membership Subcommittee Chair, Beni Blell, Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company.  
� Standards Subcommittee Chair, Herb Congdon, Tyco Electronics  
 
 
Now in its 12th year, FOLS was originally founded to provide information on the use of fiber in the backbone and horizontal portions of premises networks. More information on the use of fiber can be found on the FOLS Web site at www.fols.org.  
 
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Note: The opinions expressed in this release are those of the Fiber Optics LAN Section of the Telecommunications Industry Association and are not necessarily those of the entire TIA membership.  
 
The FOLS focuses on educating end users and influencers about the technical advantages and affordability that optical transmission brings to local area networks and fiber-to-the-desk applications. FOLS members are leading fiber cable, component and electronics companies including, ADC, AMP/Tyco Electronics, Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company, CommScope, Corning, Corning Cable Systems, Leviton Voice & Data, OFS, Ortronics, Optek Technology, Panduit, and Sumitomo Electric Lightwave. Visit the FOLS at www.fols.org.  
 
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is the leading trade organization serving the communications and IT industry, with proven strengths in standards development, domestic and international public policy, and trade shows. Through its worldwide activities, TIA facilitates business development opportunities and a competitive market environment. The association provides a forum for its member companies, the manufacturers and suppliers of products and services used in global communications. TIA represents the communications sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). Visit us at http://www.tiaonline.org.