 consideration, before approving them member of the International Telecommunications Users Group and passing them onto CCITT and CCIR. (INTUG) through which it promotes its members' interests at The US CCIs are headed by a director from the Bureau of Inter- an International level. national Communications and Information Policy, from the US 22/24 Telecommunication standards INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS CCITT/CCIR STUDY PLENARY GROUPS OFFICE OF US CCITT INTERNATIONAL US CCIR COMMUNICATIONS US DEPARTMENT OF STATE CBEMA (802.) Figure 22.12 Primary USA telecommunication standards making bodies Department of State. They represents US interests in the interna- ANSI has accredited four groups as Accredited Standards Com- tional CCI activities and advise the Department of State on policy mittees (ACS): IEEE; EIA; the T1 committee of the Exchange matters, to prepare it for the plenary assembly meetings. They have Carriers Standards Association (ECSA); and the X3 committee of national committees which administer them, and a series of study the Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association groups. The US CCITT has four study groups: (CBEMA). 1. Study Group A: Telecommunications Services and Policy. 22.5.3 NIST 2. Study Group B: Switching, Signalling and ISDN. 3. Study Group C: Telephone Network Operations. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was 4. Study Group D: Data Networks and Telematic Terminal. formerly known as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). In 1968 it was given the responsibility for helping the US Federal The US CCITT Study Groups divide the activities of the seven- Government make effective use of its vast base of computer and teen International CCITT Study Groups between them SO as to be information technology equipment, and for developing Federal In- able to track their activities and to respond effectively to them. formation Processing Standards (FIPS). Members of the US CCITT Study Groups are drawn from individ- Many FIPS's have been developed and published. The best known 