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SCTE Message: Standards Explosion
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To say the SCTE standards department has expanded is an understatement, and doesn’t seem to offer suitable justice. Since SCTE received American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accreditation in 1995, the number of companies contributing to the standards-developing process has steadily grown each year.

One of the earliest and most significant events in the SCTE standards department’s growth occurred in March 1996, when the industry standard F Port (Female Outdoor) Physical Dimensions was submitted to ANSI for recognition as a new American national standard. In December 1996, this became the first American national standard for the cable telecom industry.

The origination of this standard sparked a flurry of activity and the immediate growth of the number of contributors in the standards departmental process.

Active membership in SCTE standards development has steadily increased over the last five years. In 1996, SCTE had 120 people from 27 organizations contributing to standards development. As we enter a new millennium, subcommittee attendance has exploded to 703 people from 214 organizations, and it is projected that there will be more than 1,000 individuals contributing to standards development by 2002 (see Figure 1).

The first of the newer groups to assemble formally was the Digital Video Subcommittee (DVS) in May 1996. there were only four attendees at its inaugural meeting, and now there are more than 90 attendees per meeting. The Interface Practices Subcommittee, Data Standards Subcommittee, Construction and Maintenance Subcommittee and Emergency Alert Subcommittee also have enjoyed healthy attendance increases.

The Hybrid Management Sub-Layer Subcommittee and the Material Management Subcommittee were both established in 1998 to accommodate enlarger turnout. Recently, the Cable Applications Platform Subcommittee has been established, along with the National Electrical Code Subcommittee.

The growth of attendance directly corresponds to a major spurt in standards development documents. At the end of 1996, only 45 documents were being produced. In 2000, there are 208 standards documents. At this rate, more than 350 documents will be produced within the next two years (see Figure 2).

Having seen what the last four years have produced, it is exciting to think what the next four will hold for SCTE standards development. If you and your organization would like to get involved, please contact SCTE Director of Standards Dr. Ted Woo at , ext. 228, or , or visit www.scte.org.

John Clark is president and CEO of the SCTE. He may be reached at .

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