The
Communications Management
Association (CMA) plans to merge with the
British Computer
Society.
The 50-year-old CMA, which mainly represents around 2,000
telecom managers, says such a merger will help it survive as a body
in a rapidly converging ICT market.
The BCS has welcomed the CMA into the fold, and says its
telecoms expertise will help its current IT membership get to grips
with voice and data convergence.
The CMA membership will vote on the merger at the body’s AGM in
July. The initiative would see the CMA become a subsidiary of BCS,
while remaining an independent company with its own brand and
membership.
It would also continue its charitable status and retain its
independent regulatory consultation role with Ofcom and other
industry bodies.
The CMA would also maintain its current small Leatherhead
headquarters under the leadership of chief executive Glenn
Powell.
At the same time, BCS would create a new Communications Forum
that would be operated by CMA. BCS members would become CMA
affiliate members. Similarly, CMA members would become BCS
affiliate members.
The CMA and BCS merger comes as telecoms supplier industry
organisation CITA (formerly the Telecommunications Industry
Association (TIA) closes down.
CITA’s membership has now been invited to join the CMA. For the
past couple of years, the CMA has been heavily signing up associate
members who work for telecoms suppliers.
Communications Management Association
>>
British Computer Society >>
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