What Membership Means

This month, TIA member companies received their annual notices of renewal from our new Director of Membership Lora Magruder, with a reminder of the benefits of belonging to the association. This is an annual tradition; when asking members to renew, of course we want to make the case that TIA is an indispensable ally of all of our 500-plus members. But this year, it's clearer than ever that TIA has a unique vision and sense of purpose evident not only in the work of TIA's various departments, but in its connection to emerging trends in the industry and its value as a platform for member companies to leverage their future growth and success.

For almost three decades, TIA has used its resources to marshall pro-industry advocacy efforts for its vendor members. Smaller companies with no Washington presence can rest assured the laws and regulations we've helped shape are as much to their benefit as their larger manufacturing brethren. In fact, some of TIA's biggest legislative wins, from the 1996 Telecom Act to the streak of small but significant legislative victories in this Congress, are laying the groundwork for new or smaller members to take the next step. 

The various standards our engineering committees establish are unique in the industry for the democratic, consensus-based way they're developed. TIA serves as an independent third-party forum for all interested parties to make their case, creating an environment in which no one member can dominate the process.

NXTcomm and our smaller trade show endeavors aren't targeted at one market niche, technology or business type, but aim to serve all industry players, big and small. TIA members enjoy not only discounts on floor space and other amenities at the show – a significant benefit in and of itself – but unparalleled access to the decision makers in the communications industry.

TIA's annual Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast, available to members at a significant discount from the non-member price, is the industry's most comprehensive study providing analysis and trends emerging not only within the North American market, but in burgeoning global markets; our market intelligence is especially useful to companies looking to adapt their business strategies to newly emerging markets like Vietnam, about which our report this summer laid out the benefits and potential pitfalls of investment. All the pillars of TIA's mission, then, are beneficial to our members moving in step with trends in the larger industry.

As communications become increasingly digital, TIA members have to keep pace, especially when it comes to data security. That's why TIA announced a partnership this fall with the Internet Security Alliance (ISA), whose services will be available free to all TIA members. Member companies will receive an Associate Membership in ISA at no additional cost, another significant savings over non-member companies, which means access to daily briefings on the latest trends in IP security, action alerts on significant threats, occasional seminars and larger security-themed industry events.

The chief asset our members can count on is TIA's ability to forecast and help shape trends, whether political, business or in the increasingly global communications marketplace. It's an asset that allows our members, big and small, to move as part of a unified industry. No matter how competitive that industry gets, there will always be an advantage to leveraging what we've all achieved to the common benefit.

Thank you,
Grant Seiffert
President
TIA