In the midst of a tough global economic situation, the telecom industry in Silicon Valley continues to grow, and now includes over 1,000 telecom companies, employs over 100,000 people, and attracts an average of over 1/3 of all U.S. telecom venture capital investments – more than twice the investments from any other single area in the U.S. We have over 20 globally significant telcos - a direct pipeline to over 2 billion subscribers, billions of VC capital, scores of start-ups, the world’s portal giants, and ample ancillary service providers - nowhere else in the world are so many powerful telecom people in one place. In fact, several major companies including Qualcomm, Ericsson, and Huawei are growing their local presence.

The truth is that even though telecom companies and their key people are in the business of communication, the lines of communication between them are often closed. That’s why the Telecom Council offers members the professional network, online tools, 5 different Forums, and 2-3 meetings every month to bring together the local telecom industry's critical mass of businesses, research, ideas, capital, and human expertise.

Below are the top 10 reasons organizations, small or large, local or global, funded, fundraising or investing, become Telecom Council members:

1. Save Time- Many telecom professionals spend over 6 business development months getting to the right person before substantive discussions begin. You can cut this time to weeks when you build relationships with Telecom Council members. 
2. Save Money-  Travel and tradeshows are expensive and you still may not connect with “the right people.” The Telecom Council of Silicon Valley was established to bring “the right people” together locally – for lower costs, better relationships, and faster business development cycles.
3. Innovation- The Council provides ample opportunity for our members to stay abreast to changes in the ecosystem and innovations on the horizon.  Through our members-only access, our online tools allow you to stay informed even when you can’t make every meeting. 
4. Effective Marketing-  Advertising, marketing, tradeshow booths are a very expensive cost-per-lead expense. For a fraction of the cost, in effort and dollars, The Telecom Council helps establish your presence with your professional market. 
5. Tailored Information- The Council has 5 Forums (Service Providers, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Executives, and Mobile) delivering tailored information to segmented audiences. Attend just a single forum, or attend every meeting on the calendar! You can choose either focused information gathering and networking, or the option of a broader telecom-wide perspective.
6. Opportunity-  With the multitude of investment dollars flowing through the Silicon Valley, over 20 carriers and innumerable VCs and startups locally, the Region draws the Who’s Who of the Global Telecom industry. See our current member list.
7. Influence- Because over 75% of Telecom Council participants are executives, there is no better place to influence the local industry.  The Council thrives because its members contribute and participate, from roundtable discussions to panel speakers and from steering committees of the Council’s Forums to the Council’s Board. 
8. Spread the Wealth- Council memberships allow for multiple people from a company to benefit from membership tools including meetings, community research, online access to past presentations and the Council’s LinkedIn group.
9. Business Development- Regular meetings, LinkedIn tools, online tools, and discussion boards are member services the Council offers to facilitate the innovation and relationships that keep our industry vital.
10. Long-Term Network- At a tradeshow or cold-calling, you are lucky to become an acquaintance. Telecom Council membership allows you to build a full-fledged, long-term professional relationships with the people and companies you need to know. Contacts are good. Relationships are gold.