What is a Telecommunications Industry Association?
To answer this question, first ask yourself, “What is an industry association?” Quite simply, it’s a group of individuals from a particular industry who have formed a group to collectively address issues in that industry. You’ve probably heard quite a bit about industry associations — like the National Education Association — but you probably just didn’t realize that individuals in the telecommunication industry also formed industry associations as well.
What Does a Telecommunications Industry Association Do?
A telecommunications industry association may be involved in everything from labor disputes to trade show management and policy development. In short, the telecommunications industry association is the venue through which individuals in the telecommunication industry involve themselves in public issues of interest to them. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), self-described as the “leading trade association” in this industry, notes on its website that it deals with the following:
“standards development, policy initiatives, business opportunities, market intelligence and networking events.”
In other words, a telecommunications industry association allows the telecommunications industry to have a collective voice, which is usually a louder voice or a more influential voice. For example, the government often dictates standards and policy that affect the telecommunications industry and individuals in the telecommunications industry. The government often regulates the kind of material that can be delivered using different telecommunications channels. It also is tasked with adopting standardized delivery methods for information and determining who has access to what information. You might have seen some telecommunications industry associations working recently to support the overturn of Internet regulation laws SOPA and PIPA. This is an example of how industry representatives worked together to make their voices heard about an issue that affected them.
Outside of public policy, telecommunications industry associations are tasked with letting telecommunications professionals and others know about new and interesting developments within the industry. Trade shows are one way by which industry associations do this. At telecommunication industry association trade shows, individuals from the industry come together to display new and exciting developments in the industry. They do this through displaying prototypes, holding conference sessions and answering questions in question and answer sessions. In most cases, trade shows are meant to inform other industry members about new and exciting events. But telecommunications industry associations are also tasked with conducting press interviews and serving as experts to inform the public about the industry