Company Profile
Company Overview
COMPTEL is the leading industry association representing communications service providers and their supplier partners. Based in Washington, D.C., COMPTEL advances its member’s business through policy advocacy and through education, networking and trade shows. COMPTEL members are entrepreneurial companies building and deploying next-generation networks to provide competitive voice, data, and video services. COMPTEL members create economic growth and improve the quality of life of all Americans through technological innovation, new services, affordable prices and customer choice.
Company History
COMPTEL has a 25-year history as the leading trade association for the competitive communications marketplace.
COMPTEL originated in 1981 as the Association of Long Distance Telephone Companies (ALTEL) to promote competition with AT&T. In 1984, ALTEL merged with the American Council of Competitive Communications (ACCC) and expanded its services to include local service providers, wireless communications companies and Internet service providers. At that time, the association's name was changed to the Competitive Telecommunications Association (COMPTEL). Then, in 1999, COMPTEL merged with America's Carriers Telecommunications Association (ACTA).
More recently, in March 2005, the association merged with the Association for Local Telecommunications Services (ALTS). ALTS was created in 1987 to represent companies that build, own and operate competitive local networks.
This merger was preceded by the November 2003 union with the Association of Communications Enterprises (ASCENT). ASCENT was formed 1992 when the Telecommunications Marketing Association and the Interexchange Resellers Association merged to form the Telecommunications Resellers Association (TRA) in an entrepreneurial effort to promote switchless long distance resale. In November 1997, TRA merged with the National Wireless Resellers Association, creating a trade association designed to serve the entire telecommunications industry. In May 2000, TRA changed its name to ASCENT.
COMPTEL has long served as the strong, unified advocate for the competitive communications industry before Congress, the White House and federal and state regulatory authorities. The association was a particularly effective lobbying force during the development and implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Through the mobilization of its membership, the association was instrumental in improving the language of the legislation in order to advance the interests of competitive telecommunications carriers. The association's most significant victory was ensuring that the Act included opportunities for its members to compete in the local telephone market through resale, the purchase of unbundled network elements, and/or facilities-based interconnection.
The association has spent the years since the Act's passage working to ensure that opportunities to provide competitive communications services become a reality. Entering today's new era of communications, COMPTEL is committed to ACTION -- advocating for laws and regulations based on the principle of "Advancing Communications Through Innovation and Open Networks".
Benefits
Flex Spending Plan
Employer paid PDA device & service plan