ASCII + GTIA: Frequently Asked Questions for GTIA Members

The ASCII Group was founded in 1984 by Alan Weinberger, whose vision for peer-driven, practitioner-first support helped shape the MSP community as it exists today. More than 40 years later, ASCII remains one of the most respected communities in the IT channel, serving MSPs and IT service providers across North America through regional events, peer-to-peer forums, and vendor affinity programs.

ASCII is known for something that's hard to build: Genuine trust. Its members show up for each other, engage deeply and rely on ASCII as a practical resource for running and growing their businesses. It's a ground-level, practitioner-first community—and that's exactly what makes it a meaningful addition to the GTIA ecosystem.

GTIA acquired the assets of The ASCII Group, bringing ASCII's member community, regional ASCII Edge events, peer programs and vendor sponsor relationships into the GTIA ecosystem. ASCII now operates as a GTIA community, with its identity, events and peer culture fully intact—now backed by GTIA's infrastructure and resources to help it grow further.

The acquisition is effective immediately. Watch for direct communications from GTIA with specific dates and any relevant details for your membership.

ASCII adds a highly engaged, regionally rooted layer to the GTIA ecosystem—its programming includes ASCII Edge events and the ASCII Link peer forum, built on a member identity ASCII members already know and trust, now backed by GTIA's research, global reach, and resources.

It's a complement to GTIA's existing chapters and peer programs, giving IT service providers even more ways to connect at the ground level. (GTIA members can opt into full ASCII membership—more on that below.)

GTIA's mission is to advance the people and businesses of the global IT channel. ASCII's community—built over 40+ years on trust and peer connection—represents exactly the kind of engaged practical network that deepens and expands everything GTIA does.

This acquisition adds nearly 1,000 new MSP and IT service provider relationships to the GTIA ecosystem—relationships built on genuine community engagement. It's an investment in the channel's future, and in the people who make it work every day.

Your membership: Your current GTIA membership and benefits are unchanged. What grows is the network around you—now significantly larger and more connected to the practitioner side of the channel. As a GTIA member, you and your entire team will enjoy complimentary registration for all ASCII Edge events. For those in the Chicago and San Antonio areas, we highly encourage you to register and attend those upcoming events.

Optional ASCII access: GTIA members can opt into the full ASCII benefits package for a deeply discounted $389/year (a $1,189 value). This includes access to the ASCII Link peer forum, free registration to ASCII Edge regional events (plus a complimentary hotel night), vendor discounts, monthly marketing assets and more.

The ASCII acquisition opens structured access to approximately 1,000 new MSP and ITSP relationships—a highly engaged, community-oriented segment that represents real opportunity for partner development and lead generation.

Watch for a direct update from the GTIA team with specifics on pricing and access structure for vendor engagement at ASCII Edge events.

No. GTIA's mission, values and strategic direction remain unchanged. This acquisition expands the community that mission serves. GTIA remains vendor-neutral, globally focused and committed to advancing the full spectrum of the IT channel. The ASCII community adds depth and reach to that work. That's a strength for every GTIA member.

Reach out to your GTIA member services contact at [email protected] or visit gtia.org for updates as the integration progresses.