The Society for Broadband Professionals and the SCTE/ISBE, respectively the UK and U.S. versions of the SCTE, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), providing a framework for continuing and future cooperation intended to enhance both organizations' value to the international cable community.
The agreement, which was signed at the ISBE International Breakfast during the SCTE/ISBE Cable-Tec Expo in Denver last week, confirms the intention of the two societies to set up a working group to harmonize their activities and to develop mutually advantageous cooperative activities, with the aim of increasing the quality of their respective training portfolios and working more efficiently.
Last month, the societies confirmed that Society for Broadband Professionals' input is being integrated for the first time into an existing ISBE course, enabling the two organizations to maximize their combined capabilities to create an enhanced educational opportunity for the cable broadband industry. Discussions are underway for other cooperative ventures, including the ability of each society to endorse the others' training courses and final certification. Both organizations recently exhibited together at the Liberty Global Technology Summit in Amsterdam.
"We are delighted to be formalizing our continuing collaborative relationship with ISBE and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers," said Mike Thornton, president of the Society for Broadband Professionals, when signing the MoU. "Ultimately, this will benefit all our members, those taking our training courses and the industry as a whole."
"This is a great step forward for our organizations, both of which have built strong reputations in the global training field with a range of customers across the cable telecommunications sector," said Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of the SCTE/ISBE. "As the need for cable education continues to expand around the world, our ability to work together will help to create new programs that will build value for our industry."
