Memberships and Associations

Advantage Telcom is strongly committed to promoting and supporting our industry. For that reason, we actively participate, and are corporate members of many National and State associations and organizations. A brief description of these organizations can be seen below, for additional information click on an associations logo to visit their web site.

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		National Membership:
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		The United Telecom Council (UTC) is a global trade association dedicated to creating a favorable business, regulatory, and technological environment for companies that own, manage, or provide critical telecommunications systems in support of their core business. Founded in 1948 to advocate for the allocation of additional radio spectrum for power utilities, UTC has evolved into a dynamic organization that represents electric, gas, and water utilities; natural gas pipelines; critical infrastructure companies; and other industry stakeholders.
		United States Telecom Association USTA USTA's Membership staff focuses on three broad categories of membership: Carrier, Suppliers and International. Carrier members, the core of the association, consists of facilities-based telecommunication companies. Supplier Members are companies who provide services, hardware, software, or technology for the telecom industry. nternational telecom companies that are interested in being members of USTA. Again, this is an area that we plan to grow in the future.
		The CompTel/ASCENT Alliance was formed in November 2003 by the merger of the Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel) and the Association of Communications Enterprises (ASCENT). With 400 members, the Alliance is the largest association representing facilities-based carriers, providers using unbundled network elements, global integrated communications companies, and their supplier partners.
		The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International, Inc. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International, Inc. - APCO International - is the world's oldest and largest not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications. With ith more than 16,000 members around the world, APCO International exists to serve the people who manage, operate, maintain, and supply the communications systems used to safeguard the lives and property of citizens everywhere.
		State Membership:
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		The California Telephone Association (CTA) iThe California Telephone Association (CTA) is a statewide trade association comprised of 18 incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) providing telecommunications services within California. In addition to these core members, over 200 providers of products and services to the industry are CTA associates.
		Minnesota Telecom Alliance (formerly Minnesota Telephone Association) is a non-profit, professional association that represents the interests of over 100 small, medium and large companies that provide advanced telecommunications services like voice, data, wireless and high-speed Internet access to Minnesota’s metropolitan and rural communities.
		The Louisiana Telecommunications Association represents, twenty-one telephone companies, with over 20,000 employees, provide telephone service for over 3,296,915 access lines In the state. Out of these 3,296,915 access lines in Louisiana, service for one out of every sixteen is provided by an independent, home-owned telephone company.
		Oklahoma Telephone Association's mission is to promote the common interest of all Association members, to educate the general public about the telecommunications industry and its programs and to enhance the public’s knowledge and perception of the telecommunications industry and Association members.
		The Tennessee Telecommunications Association (TTA) is an industry trade organization that includes all types of telecommunications service providers as well as suppliers to the industry. Membership is open to Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs), Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), Interexchange Carriers, Resellers, Wireless Carriers, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
		The Texas Telephone Association, Inc., (TTA) is a trade association that represents the incumbent local exchange telephone companies of Texas. The mission of the TTA is to promote and enhance the performance of each member company and protect the integrity of the local exchange telephone industry and the services offered within each company's certificated exchange areas within the State of Texas.
		Rocky Mountain Telecommunications Association (RMTA) and Western Rural Telephone Association (WRTA) Now WTA The Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) aims to unite a diverse industry in the western states for the purpose of advocating the telecom interests of rural Americans before federal and state regulators and the United States Congress. This is necessary to ensure affordable and quality telecommunications services for all rural Americans.

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