In a consolidation of two associations dedicated to the interests of the telecommunications industry, QuEST Forum will become part of The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). When the definitive TIA, QuEST Forum agreement is finalized, the QuEST Forum “community will become an active part of TIA,” the organizations said.
The agreement, which is being presented as a merger, is expected to be ratified during the fourth quarter.
The consolidated association will tackle standards, common performance and quality metrics, public policy and market alignment. Emerging technologies and platforms focused upon will include the Internet of Things, smart cities, network transformation, virtualization, NFV, SDN and the cloud.
A Merged TIA, QuEST Forum
“This merger expands our ability to deliver member value across the full spectrum of business, technology and policy needs,” commented Wesley Johnston, TIA CEO in the press release. “TIA is an established leader when it comes to technology and business acceleration, global standards development, and business advocacy. QuEST Forum brings services and tremendous experience in global TL 9000 quality metrics, benchmarking, and sustainability. Together, we will have even more resources and expertise to drive the ICT industry forward and help companies navigate the rapid pace of change.”
The consolidated TIA will have more than 500 members, as well as engineering committees and partner organizations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The QuEST Forum community within TIA will continue to develop, implement and enhance TL 9000 standards — telecommunication’s extension to ISO 9001 – and sustainable practices and performance practices. The headquarters for the consolidated group will be TIA’s Arlington, Virginia, offices. QuEST Forum’s current Plano, Texas, office and Shenzhen, China facilities will remain open. A single board, combined of the current boards, will be created.
QuEST Forum CEO Fraser Pajak will take an executive role within TIA and report directly to Johnston.
