I am pleased to report that the BITAG is now in operation and ready to accept requests for technical review of broadband network management practices or other related technical issues. We are gearing up for our first Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting, scheduled for the end of February. At the meeting, we will take up any technical issues that have been brought before the TWG for review, and begin to refine the process of how we will go about our work.
We already have a great group of engineers on the TWG. They have come together from a number of different organizations and stakeholder groups across the Internet ecosystem, and I am excited about bringing more engineers and other technical experts into the fold as technical reviews ramp up.
To help answer questions about how to submit technical Review Requests to the TWG and how the process works, I have prepared a brief set of FAQs that hopefully will address questions you may have regarding the TWG Review Request filing process. Of course, if these FAQs do not fully address your questions, please feel free to email me at dhatfield@bitag.org or Kaleb at ksieh@bitag.org.
How will technical issues be brought before the TWG?
There are three ways that a technical issue may be brought before the TWG:
1. The TWG takes up an issue on its own motion
2. A governmental agency, such as the FCC, refers a technical issue to the TWG
3. Someone submits a technical Review Request to the TWG and pays the appropriate filing fee
Who can submit a Review Request to the TWG?
Anyone with questions concerning a broadband network management practice or other related technical issue may submit a request to the TWG in order to have it reviewed. You do not have to be a member of BITAG to submit a Review Request, although members do receive a discount on the required filing fee.
Just to be clear, simply submitting a Request does not mean it will automatically be taken up by the TWG. The request must be approved and submitted with the appropriate filing fee.
Where can I get the Review Request form?
The form and its instructions can be found here: Technical Working Group (TWG) Review Request Form & Instructions.
How do I use the Review Request form?
The Review Request form must be filled out in its entirety in order for your Review Request to be reviewed. We will need such things as:
· your contact information;
· the organization you are affiliated with (if any);
· a full description of the technical issue and any additional technical documentation that will be helpful to the TWG in its review;
· a description of how review of the issue by the TWG will better inform the public and policy makers;
· a short list of parties, if any, that may be on record as opposing your own position on the technical issue requested for review;
· and the filing fee.
Then simply email the completed and signed application (along with any additional technical documentation) back to BITAG at reviewrequest@bitag.org.
What are the TWG Filing Fees and Why are They Necessary?
Review Requests will not be considered complete nor considered for review until we receive the requisite filing fee. There is an administrative and operational burden to each review and the filing fee covers a portion of the cost of these reviews. If your Review Request is not accepted, BITAG will provide a full refund.
Filing fees vary based on whether you are member of the BITAG, your company’s annual revenues, and some other factors. The filing fee schedule for 2011 is:
Industry Tier (revenue) | Member | Non-Member |
Above $5B | $6,000 | $30,000 |
$1B to $5B | $6,000 | $15,000 |
$100M to $1B | $6,000 | $13,500 |
Under $100M | $6,000 | $12,000 |
Trade Association Tier (budget) | Member | Non-Member |
Any Size Budget | $25,000 | $30,000 |
Community Representative Tier (budget) | Member | Non-Member |
Any Size budget | $1,000 | $5,000 |
Individual Tier | Member | Non-member |
Any Individual | $1,000 | $5,000 |
Please contact reviewrequest@bitag.org about submitting your filing fee payment.
What Happens When The Review Request Reaches BITAG?
Once we receive a fully completed Review Request along with the appropriate filing fee, the following will occur:
· FIRST, BITAG staff will check to make sure the Review Request has been filled out completely and correctly. The Staff will also confirm whether BITAG has received the filing fee.
· SECOND, the BITAG Staff will review the substance of the Request to ensure it may properly be reviewed by BITAG in accordance with the BITAG Bylaws and TWG Governance Manual. The Request may be rejected if:
o the Request is not germane to the Technical Working Group’s mission*;
o the Request focuses too much on non-technical issues and/or TWG review would not help inform the public and policymakers on the underlying technical issues; or
o due to other exigent circumstances.
*The Technical Working Group’s Mission is to: Bring together volunteer engineers and other similar technical experts to develop consensus on broadband network management practices or other related technical issues that can affect users’ Internet experience, including impact to and from applications, content and devices that utilize the Internet.
· FINALLY, the BITAG Staff will inform the submitter by email of whether the Review Request has been accepted for review and its likely schedule on the BITAG Technical Working Group work agenda:
o If the Request has been rejected at the staff level, you will receive a list of reasons why the Request was rejected. If you feel the Request is rejected in error, you may contest that rejection as outlined in the TWG Governance Manual. To initiate that process please contact us at reviewrequests@bitag.org. If the Request is rejected, your filing fee will be refunded to you.
o If the Request has been approved, you will receive notification of the next steps.
Once the Review Request is approved, BITAG will begin the internal processes necessary for the Technical Working Group to start its deliberations, as I described in my prior blog post.
I hope this helps to clarify things, but if there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at dhatfield@bitag.org or Kaleb at ksieh@bitag.org and we will get you the information you need.
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