TL9000 – Telecommunication Quality Management Systems

In 1996, a group of leading telecommunications service providers initiated an effort to establish better quality requirements for the industry. The goal was to create a consistent set of quality system requirements that would apply to the telecommunications industry - worldwide. The executives knew that raising quality goals within the industry would result in better service to consumers. From this meeting, The Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications Leadership (QuEST) Forum was formed.

According to the QuEST Forum, TL 9000 is the Industry's unique extension to ISO 9001:2000 and includes four supplemental areas to the ISO standard:

1. Reliability and associated costs
2. Software development and management
3. Requirements for specialized service functions such as installation and engineering
4. Requirements to address communications between telecom service providers and suppliers

This is the first time that the telecommunications industry has worked together to develop a main set of quality requirements. This unusual partnership between the service providers and suppliers to implement requirements to improve the quality of telecommunications products and services reflects the close relationships characteristic of the telecommunications industry.

TL 9000 is the telecommunications industry's version of ISO 9001:2000 with additional requirements which directly represents the specific needs of the telecommunications industry.

TÜVRheinland® has developed a program to address the needs of manufacturers within the telecommunications industry. As a liaison member of the QuEST Forum, an active member on several working groups and a partner with many of the largest global telecommunications firms, TÜVRheinland® has demonstrated industry leadership.

TÜVRheinland® is accredited by ANAB (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board) according to TL 9000. In addition, TÜVRheinland® is listed on the QuEST Forum website as an accredited TL registrar.