TL90003.0ALL.docx

Quality Excellence for Suppliers of
Telecommunications Forum
(QuEST Forum)
TL 9000

Quality Management System

Requirements Handbook

Release 3.0

Copyright

Copyright _ __ _ 2001 Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications Forum

For further information,
see the QuEST Forum web site at:
http://www.questforum.org/

TL 9000 is a registered trademark
of the
Quality for Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications Forum.

Sections of this document contain copyrighted material from a variety of sources; these sources are
identified in the Bibliography of this handbook.

The text highlighted in the boxes throughout this document is a verbatim reproduction of ISO 9001:2000.
This text is copyrighted by the International Organization for Standardization. Not for resale. No part of
this standard may be copied or reproduced in any form, including an electronic retrieval system, without
the prior written permission of the American National Standards Institute, Inc., 11 West 42 nd Street, New
York, NY 10036, which holds reproduction rights in the United States.

Approved and Adopted
by the
QuEST Forum
Effective
March 31, 2001

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
Ii

Foreword

Foreword
The TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook was
prepared in a cooperative effort by the members of the Quality Excellence for
Suppliers of Telecommunications (QuEST) Forum. From the outset the QuEST
Forum’s goal has been to develop and maintain a consistent set of quality
system requirements and measurements that, when implemented, will help
provide telecommunications customers with faster, better and more cost-effective
services.

This book complements the TL 9000 Quality Management System
Measurements Handbook with requirements that support Telecommunications
industry service providers and their suppliers’ commitment to meeting the
expectations of their customers.

The QuEST Forum is pleased to present this book in a common spirit of
delighting our customers.

George C. Via, Verizon Olga Striltschuk, Motorola
QuEST Forum – Chairman QuEST Forum – Vice Chair

Steven Welch, SBC Barry D’Amour, Nortel Networks

Don Pickens, Bell South Jerry Cates, Corning

William Wessman, Boston Karl-Heinz Augenstein, Alcatel

Communications Group
Marty Lustig, SPRINT Masahide Sekiguchi, Fujitsu

Signature on File

Isabelle Courville, Bell Canada Monica Garcia, Complas

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
iii

Preface

Preface
The Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications Forum (QuEST
Forum) was founded to foster continued improvements to the quality and
reliability of telecommunications service. The founders took the critical initial step
of establishing a common set of quality management system requirements and
measurements by creating the TL 9000 Quality Management System
Requirements Handbook and the TL 9000 Quality Management System
Measurements Handbook. These handbooks are the result of a cooperative
effort among members of the telecommunications industry.
The work of the QuEST Forum yields benefits to customers, their subscribers,
and their suppliers. Membership is composed of telecommunication Service
Providers, Suppliers, and Liaisons. Members fund and participate in the QuEST
Forum, have defined voting rights and are expected to contribute to the work of
the QuEST Forum. Members vote on adoption of the TL 9000 structure, content,
administration, and other questions coming before the QuEST Forum.
The QuEST Forum establishes and maintains a common set of quality
management system requirements and measurements built on currently used
industry standards, including ISO 9001:2000. The requirements and
measurements promote consistency and efficiency, reduce redundancy and
improve customer satisfaction. They also enable suppliers to improve quality
and reliability, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness.

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
Iv
Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The strength of the QuEST Forum is the outstanding capabilities and
commitment of the members who represent their respective organizations at the
QuEST Forum and Work Group Meetings. This exceptional talent produced the
first TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook in record
time and now has completed this major update in less than eighteen months.
Individuals whose companies were customers, suppliers, and competitors
accomplished the update of the Requirements handbook through extraordinary
teamwork.
This outstanding accomplishment was facilitated in partnership with the American
Society of Quality (ASQ) and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Special
thanks for their constant support and encouragement during the last three years
of our development to Dr. Bill Osborne, Dean and Dr. Douglas E. Harris,
Associate Dean, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and
to Paul Borawski, ASQ Executive Director and Brian LeHouillier, ASQ Director,
Programs & Operations.
Personally, and for the entire QuEST Forum, I would like to thank the following
QuEST Forum individuals and companies of the Requirements and Oversight
work groups for their direct contributions to this update of the TL 9000 Quality
Management System Requirements Handbook.

Jack Pompeo
QuEST Forum Project Director

Requirements Work Group

Leaders: Chair Brendan Pelan Verizon
Vice-Chair(2000) Debbie Hearn Telcordia
Vice-Chair(1999) Matt Lindsay Tellabs Operations, Inc.
Secretary Tama McBride Motorola
Time Keeper Jeffrey Rose Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
SME(2000) Richard Morrow The University of Texas at Dallas
SME(1999) Bob Brigham Telcordia

Contributors:
3M Telecom Systems Advanced Fibre Alcatel

Thierno Diallo Communications Chandan Banerjee

ADTRAN Mark Hodges Ian Mackie
Charles O'Donnell Rhonda Sator Mark Moore
Mike Rippe
Tom Yohe

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
v
Acknowledgements
SBC
Ed Franck
Jim Lankford
Judy Przekop
Steve Stroup
Rick Werth
Siemens ICN
Pat Muirragui
Tom West
Sorrento Networks
Richard Lycette
Sprint
Tim Dinneen
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Gary Bishop
Jeffrey Rose
Symmetricom
Donna Schilling
Jack Riskey
Telcordia Technologies
Bob Brigham
Debbie Hearn
John Russell
Leslie Wolfe
TeleCentric
Jack Pompeo
Tellabs Operations
Matt Lindsay
Telmar Network
Technology
Jerry Constance
Gary McMullin
The University of Texas at
Dallas
Richard Morrow
Tyco Electronics
Greg Blount
Verizon Communications
Alan Beaudry
Brendan Pelan
Worldcom
Robert Paschke
John Rosenow

Flextronics
Johnny Hancock
Fujitsu
Doug McCullough
Hekimian Laboratories
Robin Williams
Liebert Corporation
Larry Ables
Tom Baldrick
Dale Carpenter
David Giannamore
Lucent Technologies
Ruth A. Harman
Sandford Liebesman
John Wronka
John Walz
Marconi
Bret Barclay
Don Denk
Mary Hattrick
Beverly McClain
Harold Morrison
Jennifer Vidos
Motorola
Mary Demmert
Tama McBride
Jim Osman
NEC America
David Barski
Nokia
Karen Rawson
Doug Hall
Nortel Networks
Robert Oakley
Richard Pierrie
Paceon
Jim Shields
QUALCOMM
Grace Weaver
Qwest
Don Wilford
Jerry Keintz

Antec
Rob Lindner
Bob Lichkay
Bill Taylor
Astec Advanced Power
Systems
Andre Lapointe
AT&T
Kathy Parker
Michael Server
Bell Canada
Jean-Normand Drouin
Jean-Pierre Quoibion
BellSouth
Telecommunications
Tex Prater
Joel Sullivan
British Telecommunications
Steve Dickens
Charles Industries
Angelo DiMonte
Victor Potent
Chatsworth Products
Edward Gaicki
CommWorks
Laura Coplon
Jim Oates
David Stahl
Comverse Network Systems
Bruce Rozett
Elizabeth Tracy
Corning
Steve Cooper
Len Young
Entela
Ralph Stowe
Ericsson
Victor Sandoval
Excel Partnership
Steve Obolewicz
Dave Sanicola

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
vi
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements

Oversight Work Group

Leaders: Chair Joe Taylor Tellabs Operations
Vice-Chair Ron Basque Complas
Secretary Kim Hauswirth American Society for Quality

Contributors:
Perry Johnson Registrars
Nicole Martin
SBC
Jim McDonnell
Siemens ICN
Ken Koffman
Stat-A-Matrix
Rich Watts
Tekelec
Ben Crane
Tellabs Operations
Joe Taylor

Corning
Sandy Holston
Joel Reece
Excel Partnership
Donna Locke
Independent Association of
Accredited Registrars
Chris Shillito
Marconi
Donna Reinsch
Motorola
Greg Feldman
Nortel Networks
Jeff Harpe

ADC Telecommunications
Randy Pezon
ADTRAN
Randal Whorton
Alcatel
Dave Aiken
Ron Luttrull
American Society for Quality
Kim Hauswirth
British Standards Institution
(BSI)
Ky White
Complas
Ron Basque

The QuEST Forum benefits from the continued and dedicated service of many
individuals working towards the goals of the QuEST Forum. Without these
individuals and their company’s support, the QuEST Forum would not be
successful in ensuring that the quality of telecommunication services to the end-user
keep pace with changing technological opportunities in the twenty-first
century.

A Board of Directors guides the QuEST Forum activities through a strategic plan,
which is implemented by work groups. The Requirements and Oversight work
groups are credited for producing this document and they would like to recognize
the individuals and companies that participated in the other work groups for
providing invaluable service in support of the overall QuEST Forum Mission.

Business Excellence Acceleration Model (BEAM) Work Group

Leaders: Chair Gene Hutchison SBC
Vice-Chair Mary Hattrick Marconi
Vice-Chair Don Brown Alcatel
Secretary/SME Tom Withey The University of Texas at Dallas
British Telecommunications
Alex Cuthbertson
Mark Webster
Comverse Network Systems
Zvi Ravia

AT&T
Robert Gray
BellSouth
Telecommunications
Irv Briks

Contributors:
Agilent Technologies
John Murray
Alcatel
Don Brown
Ian Mackie

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
vii
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements

Infonet
Dan Russ
Lucent Technologies
Sandford Liebesman
Marconi
Mary M. Hattrick
Motorola
Greg Feldman
Nortel Networks
Daniel Proffit
Christopher West

SBC
Gene Hutchison
Stephen Stroup
Telkom South Africa
Mike Donald
Tellabs Operations
Mari Silvenius
Telmar Network Technology
Gary McMullin
The University of Texas at
Dallas
Tom Withey

Corning
Steve Cooper
Len Young
Excel Partnership
David Middleton
Flextronics
Johnny Hancock
Fujitsu
Ashok Dandekar
Glenayre Technologies
Deborah Brigham

Governance Work Group

Leaders: Co-Chair Jim McDonnell SBC
Co-Chair Len Young Corning

Motorola
Greg Feldman
Nortel Networks
Jeff Harpe

SBC
Jim McDonnell
Tellabs Operations
Joe Taylor

Contributors:
Alcatel
Ron Luttrull
Corning
Len Young
ECI Telecom
Misha Ptak

Marketing and Communications (Marcom) Work Group
Leaders: Chair Jack Pompeo TeleCentric
Vice-Chair Ashok Dandekar Fujitsu

Perry Johnson Registrars
Nicole Martin
QUASAR
Doug Luciani
Tellabs Operations
Joe Taylor
TeleCentric
Jack Pompeo
American Society for Quality
Jeff Weitzer Table of Contents

Complas
Ronald Basque
Corning
Joel Reece
Fujitsu
Ashok Dandekar
Marconi
Donna Reinsch

Contributors:
ADC Telecommunications
Jerry Lefever
Randy Pezon
ADTRAN
Randal Whorton
Alcatel
Dave Aitken
Ron Luttrull

TL 9000 Quality Management System Requirements Handbook 3.0
viii
Acknowledgements

Measurements Work Group
Leaders: Chair Rick Werth SBC
Vice-Chair Matt Lindsay Tellabs Operations
Secretary ohn Walz Lucent Technologies
Time Keeper Jeffery Rose Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
SME Richard Morrow The University of Texas at Dallas
Nokia
Doug Hall
Karen Rawson
Nortel Networks
Jim Dumouchelle
Paceon
Jim Shields
Qwest
Jerry Keintz
Don Wilford
SBC
Jim Lankford
Vuong Phi
Scott Suko
Rick Werth
Siemens ICN
Ken Koffman
Mark Young
Sumitomo Electric Lightwave
Jeffrey Rose
Symmetricom
Jack Riskey
Tekelec
Angela Hall
Michael Willis
Telamon
William McLinn
Telcordia Technologies
Debbie Hearn
Tellabs Operations
Duke Dahmen
Denise Echols
Matt Lindsay
Telmar Network Technology
Jerry Constance
The University of Texas at
Dallas
Richard Morrow
Unisys
Richard Geesaman
Verizon Communications
Galen Aycock
Alan Beaudry
Brendan Pelan
Ron Resh
WorldCom
Robert Paschke
Xerox Corporation
Brian Fannon

Corning
Kevin Calhoun
Steve Cooper
CTDI
Jim McCormick
Ericsson
Victor Sandoval
Excel Partnership
Steve Obolewicz
Dave Sanicola
Flextronics
Johnny Hancock
Fujitsu
Tom Garrison
Hummingbird
Mary Harmer
Japan Quality Assurance
Organization - JQA
Katsuhiko Haruta
KARLEE
David Briggs
John Jennings
Liebert Corporation
Larry Ables
Tom Baldrick
Dale Carpenter
Dave Giannamore
Lucent Technologies
David Bisone
Ari Jain
Art Morrical
John Walz
John Wronka
Manly-Williams
Linda Cue
John Manly
Marconi
Bret Barclay
Don Denk
Beverly McClain
Jennifer Vidos
Motorola
James Fritsch
Tama McBride
Jim Osman
Network Access Solutions
Laurence Rudolph

Contribut