 the united states telecom association (ustelecom) is an organization that represents telecommunications-related businesses based in the united states. as a trade association, they represent the converged interests of the country's telecommunications industry. member companies represent a diverse set of communications-related businesses, including those that provide wireless, internet, cable television, long distance, local exchange, and voice services. members include large publicly traded communications carriers as well as small telephone cooperatives that serve only a few hundred customers in urban and rural areas. ==history== the united states telecom association (ustelecom) was founded in chicago, illinois, on may 17, 1897, when a group of independent telephone company executives convened at the palmer house to create an organization called the independent telephone association. according to some industry historians, thousands of independent telephone companies sprouted in the telephone industry at the turn of the century largely due to the expiration of the first alexander graham bell telephone patents on january 30, 1894. these companies banded together to promote growth of their industry and develop alliances on issues that crossed state lines
Industry_trade_groups_based_in_the_United_States Telecommunications_organizations