TL 9000

TL 9000 is a quality management system standard for the telecommunications industry.

ISO 9001:2000 Based:

TL 9000 is based on ISO 9001:2000 and includes all the requirements of ISO 9001 word-for-word.

TL 9000 is published by the Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications (QuEST) Forum—a consortium of international telecommunications service providers and suppliers. The QuEST Forum is a partnership of suppliers and service providers whose mission is to foster continual improvements to the quality and reliability of telecommunications service.

QuEST is committed to developing and maintaining a common set of quality system requirements for the telecommunications industry worldwide, including reportable performance-based measurements that allow companies to see how they are performing relative to other companies in their industry.

What is included in TL 9000?

The current version is release 5 and TL 9000 includes all of the requirements of ISO 9001, with industry-specific requirements for hardware, software, services, and measurements. The goal of these added requirements is continual improvement in the telecommunications industry, resulting in potential cost savings for suppliers and service providers, and improved service to the customers of telecommunications services, which is just about everybody in the civilized world.

TL 9000 is published in two volumes: TL 9000 Requirements Handbook and TL 9000 Measurements Handbook.

Benefits of registration to the TL 9000 standard:

For buyers, requiring TL 9000 certification from suppliers helps assure consistent quality across all products and services. It helps drive supply chain efficiencies and improves supplier relationships.

By using TL 9000 certified suppliers, companies are assured that they have a Quality Management System that has been audited by an independent TL 9000 certification body. In addition, the advanced measurements system facilitates analysis against industry benchmarks. It provides the basis for objective product or supplier evaluations to make  informed supplier decisions.

For suppliers, conformance to TL 9000 certification validates the quality of product, services and customer care that they provide. It reduces the number and cost of customer quality audits while helping create customized performance reports for current and potential customers.

TL 9000 certification, along with certification body audits, permits suppliers to save time and money by complying with only one quality standard. What’s more, buyers save on the costs of on-site inspections.

TL 9000 certified organizations have access to performance data reports for benchmarking that helps drive further product and service improvement and a continued commitment to quality and business excellence.