AMTA Snapshot Edition 51

Twenty years ago today - first mobiles used in Australia On this day 20 years ago, the first mobile phones were introduced in Australia. At 10.42am on February 23, 1987, the then Minister for Communications, Michael Duffy, made the first official call using an analogue mobile phone. They were big and bulky, weighing more than half a kilogram. They were disparagingly dubbed “bricks”, offered voice only services and cost more than $4000 each.

Don’t send offensive material – that’s the text message Don’t send inappropriate text messages on your mobile phone. That was the key message that AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, gave to ABC Radio’s PM program today.

Parents choose to buy mobiles for their children for added safety and security The overwhelming reason why parents buy mobile phones for their children is for safety and security reasons, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) said this week in response to claims made by an Australia Institute study.

No evidence of cancer cluster at RMIT building The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) this week welcomed the final independent medical report confirming there is no evidence of a cancer cluster at the RMIT University’s building 108.

MobileMuster sets a cracking pace This week Vodafone launched a month-long Muster throughout their offices and call centres in Australia. The Kingston office in southern Tasmania saddled up in a western ranch environment with a whip-cracking demonstration.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Cellular-News reports that Dutch wireless start-up Waleli has announced plans to roll out its 'GSM doorbell' internationally, starting in northern Europe. Already on the market in the Netherlands, the Waleli GSM doorbell is a clever application for GSM mobile phone technology, allowing people to answer their doorbell, talk to visitors, and even open the door, whether they are at home or not. All via their mobile phones.