TAC talks vendor relations; ISLUA meets - Telecommunications Associations Council overview of annual meeting; International SL-1 Users Association; On Associations - Column

Communications News, Sept, 1993 by Roger Underwood

The Telecommunications Associations Council's (TAC) 7th Annual Meeting, hosted in Dallas by the ICA, drew representatives from 12 groups, representing over 90% of the telecomm community worldwide. Present were ACUTA, CBTA, CMA, Entelec, ICA, INTUG, MTC, NASTD, PTC, SETA, TCA and TMA.

Of key importance was the updating of the 1993-96 meeting calendar. It appeared in August's issue. This is a permanent action item each year on TAC's agenda aimed at making life easier for those attending important meetings and trade shows.

Competition to the TAC members' annual conferences by for-profit shows continues to be a concern. Entelec, which had a successful conference and expo, felt that education via short-term, strong, timely technical programs was one of the keys to success. Others stated that the calendar will help avoid the conflict of scheduling conferences at the same time.

Supplier relations continued to be a top priority. NASTD last year started a supplier/vendor of the year special award. They also have an annual vendor night. ICA has a special award to recognize a vendor who has made special contributions.

ACUTA gave its outstanding contribution award last year to a vendor. Most TAC members have or are exploring vendor participation in their associations as members.

Regulatory matters are hot. ACUTA, ICA, TCA and NASTD continue to be involved with federal and state issues and share info, especially among those associations which have contracted with permanent counsel.

One reason for founding TAC was to share the advice gleaned from those associations which contract with lawyers specializing in regulatory matters and thus helping avoid the cost of other associations having to employ their own lawyers. ACUTA, ICA, TCA and NASTD will share their information and can be contacted directly.

INTUG report

The International Telecomm Users Group, under new chairman Bill Coopman, continues to play a vital role in international issues.

"I have seen a great deal of efforts and resources put into EEC matters," Coopman says. "While this is seemingly only of concern in Europe, it actually is of world importance, as the other trading blocs will benefit from better and cheaper European telecommunications, and the liberalizing moves there will surely be copied elsewhere in time.

"INTUG works away on such matters year in and year out. Unfortunately, the fallout is invariably long term and may not be clearly seen to be attributable to user pressure," he says. "We should remember, however, that nobody gives up monopoly profits willingly and if it were not for the pressure that people like us (INTUG) exert, there would be little incentive to change."

Bill is so right. Again, I urge the association community to join INTUG if you haven't already done so. INTUG has been instrumental in bringing about one of the most significant milestone changes in European telecomm by its efforts to break up the telecomm monopoly and introduce competition in the United Kingdom.

Contact INTUG's Executive Director George McKendrick at 18 Westminster, Palace Gardens Artillery Row, London SW1P, England.

ISLUA names officers

The International SL-1 Users Association named a new slate of officers coming off their massive internal reorganization.

Serving as President for two years is Gail Misener, Telesat Canada; Thomas Richardson, vice president, Johnson & Johnson; Don Raushmeier, secretary, SUNY Binghamton; Dick Whitley, treasurer, Oklahoma Christian University. Co-chairmen of the conference will be Gary Bernstein, McGill University, who will handle programs; and Tony Talbot, Saint John's Hospital and Health Center, who will handle exhibits.

Talbot was also the recipient of the prestigious Spirit Award, presented at ISLUA's annual conference in Toronto.

Committee chairmen include Wendy Noel, by-laws; Leo Blatner, finance; Mary Powell, information task force, Jeanne Gorski, media; Mary Jo Ditomasso, membership; Gail Misener, policies and procedures; Jim Leslie, product advisory; Tony Talbot, secondary market; Brian Kenny, self-maintained and multisite users; and Gary Jensen, unauthorized access.

When ISLUA met back in 1986, there were fewer than 400 people in attendance. This year, 2,000 participated in the annual meeting. For more information on this active Northern Telecom users group, contact Keitha Walls, administrator, at PO Box 822243, Dallas, TX 75482 or call her at 903-885-6737.

Around the circuit

The Communications Managers Association has established the Chester K. Bellairs Jr. Award for an outstanding professional in the telecomm industry. The award honors the former CMA president and longtime telecomm executive at the American Broadcasting Co. The first award will be presented during CMA Telcom 93, Nov. 1-4, at the New York Hilton Hotel and Towers. For more information, call CMA at 908-766-3824.