The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is an independent, non-profit, standardization organization in the telecommunications industry (equipment makers and network operators) in Europe, with worldwide projection. ETSI has been successful in standardizing GSM cell phone system, TETRA professional mobile radio system, and Short Range Device requirements including LPD radio.
Significant ETSI standardisation bodies include TISPAN (for fixed networks and Internet convergence) and M2M (for machine-to-machine communications). ETSI inspired the creation of, and is a partner in, 3GPP.
ETSI was created by CEPT in 1988 and is officially recognized by the European Commission and the EFTA secretariat. Based in Sophia Antipolis (France), ETSI is officially responsible for standardization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) within Europe. These technologies include telecommunications, broadcasting and related areas such as intelligent transportation and medical electronics. ETSI has 740 members from 62 countries/provinces inside and outside Europe, including manufacturers, network operators, administrations, service providers, research bodies and users — in fact, all the key players in the ICT arena. A list of current members can be found here.
In 2010, ETSI's budget exceeded €22 million, with contributions coming from members, commercial activities like sale of documents, plug-tests and fora hosting (i.e. the hosting of forums), contract work and partner funding. About 40% goes towards operating expenses and the remaining 60% towards work programs including competency centres and special projects.
ETSI is a founding partner organization of the Global Standards Collaboration initiative.
ETSI was criticised for the preemptive inclusion of wiretapping capabilities in their telecommunication standards, encouraging governments to pass their wiretapping laws accordingly. (see Lawful Interception)
Read more about European Telecommunications Standards Institute: Membership, ETSI Deliverable Types
Famous quotes containing the words european, standards and/or institute:
“Of course, in the reality of history, the Machiavellian view which glorifies the principle of violence has been able to dominate. Not the compromising conciliatory politics of humaneness, not the Erasmian, but rather the politics of vested power which firmly exploits every opportunity, politics in the sense of the “Principe,” has determined the development of European history ever since.”
—Stefan Zweig (18811942)
“To arrive at a just estimate of a renowned man’s character one must judge it by the standards of his time, not ours.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“Whenever any form of government shall become destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it’s foundation on such principles & organising it’s powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)