News and Press
Releases
July 14, 2004
RCR Wireless Georgia newest state to form
wireless group
By Emily Motsay
A regional wireless industry association
could be coming to a neighborhood near you. A
movement is afoot in the wireless industry,
and the tower sector, hungry to learn the
intricacies of the industry from the experts,
is leading the charge.
Atlanta, home to the likes of Cingular
Wireless L.L.C., is playing host to the newest
statewide wireless association-the Georgia
Wireless Association. GWA was modeled after
its predecessors, similar groups in Tennessee
and Alabama.
All three organizations function under the
same mission: "to cultivate the
relationships among the members of the
wireless arena with local communities to
ensure a unified message that supports our
industry."
GWA, TWA and AWA are not in competition with
larger, national associations like PCIA and
the Cellular Telecommunication & Internet
Association since they are focused on
education of statewide legislation and policy
rather than lobbying at the national level.
Organizations at the state level also allows
big and small industry players to work
together and network on a equal level, whereas
smaller players tend to get lost in the
overall national picture.
Each group has a customized version of bylaws
and is led by a president, a handful of board
members and several committees. The groups
meet on a rotating, quarterly basis to discuss
legislative and regulatory issues that affect
the wireless industry as a whole.
GWA's distinction is its great
accessibility to industry players, explained
Karen Fraser, GWA's state secretary, and
Crown Castle International Corps.'s vice
president of program management for the
southern area.
"It is monumental to something like this
in Atlanta, Georgia," added Pat Tant, who
serves as a vice president on each of the
associations' boards. Tant also serves a
vice president of national sales and marketing
at AAT Communications.
Fraser spearheaded the effort to form GWA
after attending a meeting on one of the sister
associations. "If something is proven and
is working, then it's a good model to work
with," said Fraser, of choosing to follow
the examples set by TWA and AWA. "The
format was already there."
About 180 people attended GWA's first
meeting May 25 in Atlanta, making it a
"huge success," according to Fraser,
and all aspects of industry were represented,
including wireless carriers, tower companies,
consultants, equipment vendors and
construction companies.
During the hour-long lunch meeting,
representatives from TWA and AWA spoke of
their experiences. GWA President David Downie,
Milestone Communications, spoke of GWA's
expectations and goals. In addition, GWA
enlisted volunteer members for the five
committees it plans to install to handle
membership, public relations, steering,
regulatory issues and Web site
development.
Tant and Fraser expect GWA's steering
committee to be core to the group. It will
consist of someone of influence from each
wireless carrier-big and small-located in
Georgia and will serve to assist the
association in focusing on the industry's
most current issues. The goal is to attract
carriers to the meetings. "If the
carriers show up at these, people will
come," said Tant.
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