What Communications Sector Coordinating Council does

The Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) is a US-based, industry-organized, industry-run, and industry-governed nonprofit coordinating body established and chartered in 2005 under the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) framework. It functions as the private-sector counterpart to government agencies — primarily the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as the Communications Sector Risk Management Agency — coordinating critical infrastructure protection across broadcasting, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline sub-sectors. Its membership comprises 57 organizations spanning carriers, trade associations, standards bodies, equipment vendors, and service providers, with named participants including AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, T-Mobile, Lumen, Charter, Cox, Ericsson, Iridium Communications, USTelecom, CTIA, NCTA, NTCA, CableLabs, NAB, TIA, and Netcracker.

CSCC's substantive output is organized through standing committees (Administrative, Finance) and working committees (Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, Infrastructure/5G/6G, Operational Coordination, Outreach/Plans/Reports, Strategy & Coordination, Supply Chain, and Small and Mid-size Business). Deliverables consist of consensus reports, threat evaluations, technical guidance documents, and annual reports. Recent publications include the 2026 Annual Report ("Connecting the Future. Securing the Nation."), the 2025 Supplier, Products, and Services Threat Evaluation Report incorporating AI risks, the Post-Quantum Cryptography Impact Report, RPKI Implementation Guidance, and topical articles on AI in the communications sector.

CSCC does not generate commercial revenue: participation carries "no financial cost," and operations are sustained through member company in-kind contributions and the CIPAC public-private partnership framework. Distribution is via its website (comms-scc.org), annual reports, working-group publications, and engagement at industry conferences and government-facilitated forums. The council coordinates laterally with the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), Communications ISAC (COMM-ISAC), National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC), and the IT Sector Coordinating Council (IT-SCC), and vertically with DHS, CISA, NTIA, NIST, FCC, ONCD, and other federal entities.

Name

Communications Sector Coordinating Council

Legal name

US Communications Sector Coordinating Council

Website

https://comms-scc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) is a US industry-run nonprofit coordinating body chartered in 2005 under CIPAC that partners with DHS and CISA to protect US communications critical infrastructure across broadcasting, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline sub-sectors, serving 57 member carriers, associations, and vendors through working committees and consensus reports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Critical Infrastructure Protection Coordination

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

akta.pro primary industry

Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) & NERC-CIP Compliance (HDADAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber Governance (GRC) (BPAHAFAF)

Keywords

• Critical infrastructure protection
• Public-private partnership
• Cybersecurity coordination
• Telecom sector policy
• Threat information sharing

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit membership-based coordination: CSCC is an industry-organized, industry-run, and industry-governed nonprofit coordinating council. There is no financial cost to participating in the CSCC. The organization does not generate revenue from product or service sales. Its operations are supported through member participation and government partnership frameworks such as CIPAC.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) coordinates industry-government collaboration to protect the US communications critical infrastructure across broadcasting, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline sub-sectors. Under the CIPAC framework with DHS/CISA, the CSCC operates standing and working committees covering cybersecurity, emerging technologies, supply chain risk management, 5G/6G infrastructure, and operational coordination. Deliverables include consensus reports, threat evaluation studies (including AI and post-quantum cryptography), annual reports, RPKI implementation guidance, and other publications that inform sector policy and critical infrastructure protection.

Product overview

The Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC) is an industry-organized, industry-run, and industry-governed coordinating body established in 2005. Rather than a unified product platform, CSCC offers a portfolio of working groups and publications that serve the communications sector's critical infrastructure protection needs. The core offerings include: Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies (including AI/ML and post-quantum cryptography), Infrastructure 5G/6G, Operational Coordination, Supply Chain, and Small and Mid-size Business working groups that produce reports and recommendations. CSCC publishes annual reports, threat evaluation reports, and technical guidance documents such as the Post-Quantum Cryptography Impact Report and RPKI Implementation Guidance. These working groups and publications collectively enable information sharing, policy development, and incident response coordination with government partners including DHS, CISA, NIST, and FCC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSCC Working Committees (Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies, Infrastructure 5G/6G, Operational Coordination, Supply Chain, Small and Mid-size Business, Strategy & Coordination, Outreach, Plans & Reports) Standing and working committee structure that coordinates industry positions, develops consensus recommendations, and produces reports on critical infrastructure protection priorities for the communications sector. Committees are composed of representatives from member organizations covering cybersecurity, emerging technologies (AI, post-quantum cryptography), 5G/6G infrastructure, supply chain risk management, and operational coordination with federal partners.
• Post-Quantum Cryptography Impact Report Committee impact report addressing the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography for the Communications Sector, produced by the CSCC Emerging Technologies Committee.
• RPKI Implementation Guidance Consensus document providing steps for prioritizing and implementing Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) for Internet routing security, developed as a follow-up to the White House Office of the National Cyber Director's Roadmap to Enhancing Internet Routing Security.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established sector-wide coordination framework benefiting all five communications sub-sectors since 2005

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered significant, core and supporting.

• IT Sector Coordinating Council (IT-SCC)significantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2025The ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, organized under CIPAC, is a collaborative body of the Communications and IT Sector Coordinating Councils. It produced the 2025 Supplier, Products, and Services Threat Evaluation Report including AI risks and mitigations, informed by inter-sector collaboration.
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSCC engages with DHS via CIPAC (Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council), a formal partnership framework for critical infrastructure owners and operators to coordinate protection activities, information sharing, and incident response. This is the primary government engagement mechanism for the CSCC.
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISA serves as the Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) for the Communications Sector. CSCC coordinates with CISA on cybersecurity initiatives, infrastructure protection, and operational response. Together they advance collaboration on operational issues on a 24x7 basis and coordinate NS/EP responses in times of crisis.
• National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSCC coordinates with NSTAC, which is comprised of up to 30 chief executives from major telecommunications, network service, IT, defense, and aerospace companies. NSTAC provides the President with recommendations to assure vital telecommunications links through any event or crisis. Kathryn Condello of Lumen serves as CSCC Vice Chair and NSTAC Liaison.
• Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center (COMM-ISAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOMM-ISAC, comprised of 51 industry member companies, facilitates information exchange among government and industry on vulnerabilities, threats, intrusions, and anomalies affecting telecommunications infrastructure. Weekly meetings share threat and incident information; daily or more frequent meetings are held during emergencies. Joe Viens of Charter serves as CSCC Comm-ISAC Liaison.
• National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTIA is a federal agency under the Department of Commerce. CSCC works with NTIA on education and outreach activities related to communications sector policy and critical infrastructure protection.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSCC works with NIST on education and outreach related to cybersecurity frameworks, standards, and best practices for the communications sector. NIST publications on cybersecurity form part of the CSCC's working committee reference materials.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSCC engages with the FCC for education and outreach on communications sector matters. CSCC also participates in the FCC's Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) and other FCC-facilitated forums.
• National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCC was created in 1984 as a joint federal government and telecommunications industry mechanism to coordinate initiation and restoration of national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications services. Together with CISA and NSTAC, NCC provides the policy, planning, and operations framework for addressing national communications priorities.
• Department of StatesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of State participated in consultative discussions informing the ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force's 2025 Threat Evaluation Report, contributing to the international dimension of supply chain risk assessment.
• General Services Administration (GSA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSA participated in consultative discussions informing the ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force's 2025 Threat Evaluation Report regarding procurement and source selection.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERC participated in consultative discussions for the 2025 ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force report, contributing cross-sector perspectives on supply chain risk.
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRC participated in consultative discussions for the 2025 ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force report, contributing cross-sector perspectives on supply chain risk.
• Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerONCD participated in consultative discussions for the RPKI deployment report, which was developed as a follow-up to the White House Office of the National Cyber Director's Roadmap to Enhancing Internet Routing Security.
• National Communications System (NCS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCS was established by President Kennedy in 1963 following the Cuban Missile Crisis to develop critical programs and plans to protect the nation's communications infrastructure. CSCC's legacy dates to this foundational public-private partnership in the communications sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC): The sector coordinating council for the electricity subsector under CIPAC with CISA. Directly comparable as a public-private coordination body for critical-infrastructure owners/operators, serving as the industry counterpart to a federal SRMA.
• Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC): The ISAC for the financial services sector, providing threat intelligence and information sharing for member firms. Comparable as a sector-specific critical-infrastructure coordination and threat-sharing body under the same national CIP construct.
• Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC): The sector coordinating council for financial services under CIPAC. Directly comparable as a public-private partnership that partners with its designated SRMA (Treasury) on critical-infrastructure resilience and policy coordination.
• IT Sector Coordinating Council (IT-SCC): The coordinating council for the IT sector under the same CIPAC framework. Directly comparable as a public-private partnership co-leader of the ICT Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force alongside CSCC, with overlapping membership and scope on cybersecurity and supply-chain policy.
• WaterISAC: The ISAC for the water and wastewater sector, operating under the same CIPAC framework as CSCC. Comparable as a sector-specific critical-infrastructure information-sharing body for utility operators.
• Oil and Natural Gas Sector Coordinating Council (ONG SCC): The sector coordinating council for oil and natural gas under CIPAC. Directly comparable as an industry-organized council coordinating with its SRMA on cybersecurity, physical security, and resilience for energy critical infrastructure.
• Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC): The ISAC for the healthcare and public-health sector. Comparable as a critical-infrastructure threat-sharing and coordination body whose membership and governance model closely mirrors the communications-sector approach.
• National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC): A federal advisory committee of up to 30 industry CEOs advising the President on telecommunications and NS/EP. Comparable as a communications-sector advisory body, with a dedicated CSCC Vice Chair serving as NSTAC Liaison.
• Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Communications ISAC): The operational threat-sharing ISAC for the communications sector, with 51 member companies running daily/weekly threat calls. Directly comparable and tightly coupled to CSCC via shared membership and a designated Comms-ISAC Liaison on the CSCC leadership team.

Others

• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): The federal Sector Risk Management Agency for the Communications Sector and CSCC's primary government counterpart. Comparable as the policy, planning, and operations counterpart that CSCC's outputs and information sharing feed into.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Communications Sector Coordinating Council