FMCA

The Fixed-Mobile Convergence Alliance (FMCA) is a global alliance of telecommunication operators. Their objective is to accelerate the development of FMC products and services. The FMCA was established in July 2004 by the following six founding members: BrazilTelecom, BT, KT, NTT Communications, Rogers Wireless and Swisscom. The group’s membership has since increased to 26 operators from 24 different countries or regions (24 out of the 26 operators are integrated telecommunications operators owning both fixed and mobile networks) at the end of 2006.

The FMCA is not a standards development organisation but aims to accelerate the development and adoption of convergence technologies by producing common telecommunication operator requirements for converged cellular/Wi-Fi/WiMAX products and services in areas such as service capabilities, handsets, access points and gateways, networks and architecture, and roaming and converged applications. The FMCA came as a result of telecommunications operators facing difficulties in communicating with several domestic and/or international vendors when deploying their businesses internationally.