ATIS releases standard outage classification

Tue Dec 4 19:44:50 UTC 2007

http://www.atis.org/PRESS/pressreleases2007/120307.htm

   In accordance with the Standard Outage Classification, telecommunication
   companies can now use common terminology and reporting structures to
   collect and report data used for identifying causes of outages.

If you are not an ATIS member, a copy of the standard is $68.

Nevertheless, I suspect media relation professionals for the companies 
will probably continue to use other euphemisms when discussing SNAFUs
with the press.