AMTA Snapshot Edition 43

AMTA Chair visits Canberra The Chair of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, Holly Kramer, yesterday visited Canberra for meetings with Ministers and officials on key issues affecting the mobile telecommunications industry. AMTA is engaged with the AG’s Department and DCITA on issues such as data retention and new identity checks for pre-paid mobile services, both of which have significant potential impact on our industry.

Local council MobileMuster toolkit mobilises grass roots for recycling Local councils are playing an important grass-roots role in making people aware of the importance of recycling their old mobile phones, AMTA Chief Executive Officer Chris Althaus said at this week’s launch of the MobileMuster Local Council Tool Kit in Canberra.

ACMA warns about people claiming to sell access to Do Not Call Register The Australian Communications and Media Authority has warned consumers to be wary of people offering to register their details on the national Do Not Call Register and charge them for the service.

AMTA rejects newspaper’s mobile phone fertility claims AMTA has rejected claims in the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper that mobile phone use can affect make fertility. AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, wrote to the newspaper’s editor saying there is no substantiated scientific evidence that mobile phones affect fertility.

ACMA conference to discuss spectrum capable of supporting future wireless access services The Australian Communications and Media Authority has identified additional spectrum that could potentially be used to support future wireless access services in Australia.

Global mobile entertainment market forecast to grow to US$47 billion by 2009 Cellular News reports that Juniper Research has estimated that the total global mobile entertainment market (including gambling, adult content, mobile games, mobile music, mobile TV and infotainment), is currently worth over US$17 billion. The analyst firm forecasts this to grow to US$47 billion by 2009 and US$77 billion by 2011, as broadcast mobile TV and mass market casual games really take off.

WiMAX gains momentum, but unlikely to threaten 3G in Asia Pacific this decade Telecom providers have made significant efforts to compete with wireless 3G services with various Broadband Wireless Technology (BWA) in the Asia/Pacific market, says In-Stat as reported by Cellular News this week. For at least another five years, however, BWA in the form of WiMAX is unlikely to pose a big threat to 3G, as it will take longer to mature, the high-tech market research firm says.