AMTA Snapshot Edition 150

AMTA backs nationally consistent consumer laws that do not tie industry up in red tape The Australian mobile telecommunications industry has welcomed the Federal Government?s review of consumer laws as an opportunity to streamline overlapping laws and regulations and deliver consumer protections more effectively, says AMTA?s submission to a Treasury?s Fair Markets ? Confident Consumers inquiry.

Mobile broadband to be worth $137b by 2014 Newly released mobile broadband forecasts by global advisory and consulting firm Ovum, show that users accessing the Internet via mobile broadband enabled laptops and handsets will generate revenues of $137 billion globally in 2014, over 450% more than in 2008. However, operators will need to content themselves with the fact that user growth will be far faster than revenue growth, meaning more users and more data traffic, but declining average revenues per user (ARPUs).

Mobile networks 'failed on Black Saturday' Telephone and mobile networks virtually failed in bushfire-affected regions on Black Saturday, a community hearing in the town of Wandong heard today, reports the Age newspaper.

MobileMuster participates in key Local Government and Waste Industry Forums Regional Networks for Effective Waste Management (RENEW NSW ) is holding its quarterly meeting next Tuesday in Coffs Harbour. The group was formed to improve resource recovery and waste management in regional NSW by proactively working together. RENEW includes representatives from eight regional waste management groups that encompass 95 Councils in rural regional NSW.

Updated EMF Explained gives overview of wireless technologies EMF Explained, the international industry web site on health and wireless technology issues, has been recently updated to give an overview of a range of wireless technologies.

Using mobile phones to monitor teenagers mental health A program that uses mobile phones to track the mental health of young people suffering depression will be evaluated through funding from the Telstra Foundation to see if it is suitable to treat youth depression nationwide.

Don?t forget to take your medicine ? SMS Kenyan trial The rise in Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases could soon be averted if research into a new technology that involves mobile phone monitoring of drugs administered succeeds, Capital News reports this week.

Health Canada says mobiles safe for teenagers Health Canada is sticking to its position that children and teenagers are not risking their health by using cellphones in the wake of new research showing they are five times more likely to suffer from a malignant brain tumour later in life if they use them, Canwest News Service reports in the GSMA Environment Insider this week.

No conclusive evidence of harm from cellphones The wireless industry in Canada as well as around the world is 100 per cent committed to a completely open process in the study of health and safety issues related to wireless technologies. All research is made public and fully open to scientific and public scrutiny, said Bernard Lord, the CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.

ACMA invites comment on new industry fees and payment methods to access the Do Not Call Register in 2009-10 The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking comment on proposed new fees and payment arrangements for telemarketers to access the Do Not Call Register in 2009-10.

ACMA issues formal warning to Bytecard for contravening the TIO Scheme The Australian Communications and Media Authority has issued a formal warning to Bytecard Pty Ltd (Bytecard).