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SUMMARY

This presentation reviews the background of TL9000, including the nature of the QuEST Forum, and what TL9000 requirements cover with an emphasis on their software-specific aspects. Since TL9000 is both a set of quality system requirements, based on ISO 9001 with additional material from many historical telecommunications standards, and a set of required measurements and metrics, both of these topics will be addressed. This will include where TL9000 goes beyond ISO 9001 and how other standards have influenced telecommunications "extensions" to it. There will also be an overview of the basic metrics expected, again, emphasizing the software-specific ones. The presentation will conclude by noting the current status of TL9000, especially the ongoing efforts to align it with the revision of ISO 9001.

KEY WORDS

quality metrics, quality standards, software quality, telecommunications, TL9000

INTRODUCTION

The telecommunications industry has a long history of product and service quality concern including formal standards for both hardware and software quality and metrics which predate international standards such as ISO 9000, ISO 9000-3, and ISO/IEC 12207. Originally managed through Bell Laboratories and transitioned to Bell Communications Research, standards such as GR-1202, GR-1252, TR-179, and RQMS have described expectations for suppliers over nearly two decades. However, due to continuing changes in the telecommunications industry and the desire to reduce the variety df standards to which suppliers might be held accountable, a joint industry effort to take over definition and development of such standards has resulted in TL9000.

WHAT IS TL9000 AND THE QUEST FORUM?

TL9000 is a "set of quality system requirements for suppliers of telecommunications products" that includes hardware, software, and services. It is intended to "eliminate the need for conformance to other telecommunications quality management standards." TL9000 is based on ISO 9001, but with specific requirements from telecommunications, including quality system metrics.

Historically, telecommunications quality standards were developed...

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