Dear Editor:
In the March 15 article in RCR, “SMR’s juggle multiple trade group memberships,” you write that “Three trade associations, all based in the Washington, D.C., area, purport to represent the SMR industry: the American Mobile Telecommunications Association, the Personal Communications Industry Association and the Industrial Telecommunications Association.”
I am somewhat amazed that for some unknown reason you completely overlooked what is probably the most representative association representing hundreds of SMR’s across the country, Small Business in Telecommunications (SBT).
SBT, founded in 1996, currently has several hundred members, the majority of which are SMRs. Since its inception, a strong case can be made that no other association has been more representative of SMRs than SBT. For example, when you add up all the various documents that SBT has submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, including petitions, comments, requests for rule making, requests for clarification of rules, proposals for spectrum allocations, etc., you find that these average over three per month for a total in excess of 40 filings.
A primary example of SBT’s representation can be seen when you examine the fact that it was SBT, and not any of the other named associations, which led the fight to prevent the auction of the upper band 800 MHz spectrum, which represented hundreds of SMRs’ hard-earned businesses and livelihood. Everyone in the industry knows that this whole, sordid affair represents political corruption at its ugliest, and besides that it is just flat wrong! But while SBT flailed against the tides of inequitable rule making and preferential treatment bestowed by the FCC upon one, large, national entity, the other associations, purporting to represent SMRs remained strangely silent.
On the positive side, in the three years since its inception, SBT has had five regional meetings and two national meetings. Pre-enrollment to our upcoming national meeting at the IWCE in Las Vegas, with more than three weeks to go before the show, is already at more than 100 attendees.
SBT also has been very active lobbying both congressmen and senators, including a “Members Day on the Hill” in October 1997. In addition to these efforts, dozens of SBT members have frequent communications with both their state and national representatives to ensure the interests of small businesses and SMRs are heard and represented.
Unlike other associations, SBT has a low, equal, annual membership fee of $300, and each member gets one vote, regardless of size. In fact, although very large SMRs can be members, they do not get any voting privileges, thus ensuring they cannot manipulate the association for their own purposes.
As SBT’s chairman, I, and the board of directors, are all SMR operators ourselves, thus ensuring we have first-hand knowledge and experience concerning the problems that SMRs face in the industry. Furthermore, we all serve on a non-salaried, volunteer basis.
SBT is also proud of the fact that almost all of the major radio manufacturers, as well as numerous manufacturers of associated equipment, routinely sponsor SBT’s various meetings and activities. This commitment on their part reflects the confidence they have in who we are and what we are trying to do.
I would strongly encourage you to get more information about who SBT is and what we represent. A good start might be to come to our meeting at IWCE in Las Vegas on Tuesday, April 27. There is no fee to attend.
Lonnie R. Danchik
Chairman, Small Business in Telecommunications and President, CommNet Communications
