AMTA Snapshot Edition 42

Senate committee hears mobile telecommunications industry’s view on anti-money laundering Bill The mobile telecommunications industry is very concerned that new anti-money laundering legislation would impose onerous and impractical legislative obligations on the telecommunications sector without any clear anti-money laundering or counter-terrorism financing benefits, AMTA CEO Chris Althaus told a Senate Committee yesterday.

Five AMTA Board members reappointed at Annual General Meeting Holly Kramer (Telstra) and Andrew Volard (Motorola) were reappointed Chair and Deputy Chair respectively at the AMTA Annual General Meeting in Sydney yesterday. Five Board Members were appointed at the meeting.

Mobile premium services scheme and technology showcase highlighted at AMTA’s annual meeting AMTA Chair Holly Kramer highlighted AMTA’s work on the Mobile Premium Services Industry (MPSI) Scheme and the 3G Technology Showcase held at Parliament House as notable achievements during 2006. She made her remarks at AMTA’s Annual General Meeting in Sydney yesterday. The AMTA Annual Report is now available on the website.

MobileMuster to launch Local Council Tool Kit at the ALGA National General Assembly As part of the recycling program’s commitment to work with local councils in promoting and recycling mobile phones, AMTA CEO, Chris Althaus will launch the MobileMuster Local Council Tool Kit on Monday at the Welcome Reception of the ALGA National General Assembly.

Blunn part two legislation is delayed until next year AMTA has been advised by the Attorney-General’s Department that the TIA Act Amendment Bill (part two of the Blunn Bill) will no longer be introduced to Parliament this year. The Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has agreed to introduce the Bill in the first sitting in 2007 to allow a longer consultation period.

ACMA releases its first major communications industry report There were 19.76 million mobile phone services in Australia in 2005-05, up from 18.42, mobile phone services as a proportion of the Australian population were 96% and 10.2 billion SMS messages were sent, according to the latest statistics in a new report released this week.

MobileMuster meets with WA Government Rose Read, Manager of AMTA’s mobile phone recycling program , MobileMuster, met last week with representatives of the WA Department of Environment and Conservation and the Office of the Minister for the Environment.

Advertising could subsidise mobile phones, says report Cellular-news says Informa Telecoms & Media has released a report which focuses on the future of the mobile market and a barometer of industry opinion based on a survey of more than 1,800 senior industry professionals. The report highlights a bullish outlook from the mobile industry as a whole, with 65% of respondents feeling more confident about prospects for 2007 than for 2006.