adopted from international standards. This is changing rapidly, as many USA based manufacturers strive to enter 22.4.7.5 The TMA the European market and find the need to adhere to International standards. The Telecommunications Managers Association (TMA) is a UK The reason for this is largely historical. After the break up of the company limited by guarantee and is a registered charity. Its acti- USA's Bell telephone system, Bellcore was founded, in 1985, to vities are managed by an elected Executive Committee, which in carry out all the development work, including standardisation, turn elects a Chairman. needed to ensure interoperability. These have been used by the US Membership of the TMA is on an individual basis, primarily by telephone operators to buy against. Bellcore also determines and those responsible for planning, management or operations of tele- manages the North American numbering plan, trains personnel and communication systems, and to consultants and project managers provides consultancy services. with special interest in telecommunications. Although this is essen- tially a user group, many of its members are from supplier organi- 22.5.1 US Department of State sations. TMA activities are of three types: The US Department of State is the government agency primarily responsible for representing the USA in the ITU, as shown in Figure Education and information exchange, where it organises con- 22.12. It has discharged this responsibility to two public advisory ferences, exhibitions, and courses. committees, the United States Organisation for the International 2. Liaison with government and other official bodies, such as the Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (US CCITT) and DTI and the Office of Telecommunications (OFTEL), and with the United States Organisation for the International Radio Consult- ETSI and the European Community Telecommunications ative Committee (US CCIR). These bodies receive the input from Users Association (ECTUA). The TMA is also a founding ANSI accredited groups for