The MultiMedia Telecommunications Association released its annual market review and forecast, examining technology developments, growth and trends in telecommunications and computing.
MMTA of Washington, D.C., is the second-generation of the long-standing telecom trade group called North American Telecommunications Association, formed 25 years ago to represent telecommunications equipment distributors and manufacturers.
Increased convergence between telecommunications and computing businesses led the group to expand its mission a year ago.
The “1996 MultiMedia Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast,” addresses local and interexchange network services and voice communications; wireless communications including cellular, personal communications services, paging, advanced messaging, specialized mobile radio, satellite and mobile data; local and wide area networks; collaborative technologies including videoconferencing and audioconferencing; integration of computing and telephony; and international telecommunications.
The review is particularly beneficial as a reference guide to technologies, leading equipment and service companies, relationships and convergence among industries and expected growth or decline across markets.
NATA was founded by Tom Carter about 26 years ago, following the Carter Phone Decision of 1968, in which the Federal Communications Commission ruled telephone service providers could purchase telecommunications equipment from private enterprise, so long as it was “deemed privately beneficial, but not publicly detrimental,” explained MMTA Director of Industry Relations Mary Bradshaw. Previously, carriers were restricted to leasing equipment from AT&T in order to connect to its network.
Over the years, NATA added an increasing variety of members, including telecom equipment businesses involved in wireless services.
Today, on top of MMTA’s goal to increase members’ business opportunities, the group focuses on addressing market and technical development implications of current and emerging standards through educational forums, developing market size and growth rate information, providing market education programs and products, creating necessary communications access standards and effecting public policy.
MMTA is comprised of five key divisions, one focused on wireless communications. George Benson, chief executive officer of Wisconsin Wireless, is chairman of the Wireless/Mobile Division. This unit aims to present opportunity to members and provide “untethered connection between people, data and imaging services,” said MMTA.
