AMTA Snapshot Edition 152

The mobile world of kids Mobile phones play a central and largely positive role in children and young people?s lives and help them to be independent, organise their daily lives, support their relationships, provide entertainment and make them feel safer, new research has found.

AMTA relies on advice from international health experts on mobile safety The mobile phone industry relies on the expert advice of independent national and international health agencies on mobile safety, AMTA has said in a letter published in the Canberra Times.

MobileMuster, the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry, is launching the 2009 ?Old Phones, New Fence Posts? Schools Recycling Challenge at Labertouche Primary School on Wednesday 22 April.

Drivers 'Twittering' behind the wheel The accessing and use of social networking sites while driving a car is extremely unsafe and should not be undertaken under any circumstances AMTA CEO Chris Althaus told Seven News this week. The same news report also highlighted the $9.3million paid in fines by the 39,000 NSW motorists who were fined in 2007/08 for use of mobile phones while driving.

Parents need to take note Fifteen percent of Australian parents have admitted to using a handheld mobile phone while driving with their kids in the car according to new research released by Telstra today.

ACCAN appoints CEO AMTA welcomes the appointment of the inaugural CEO of the Australian Communications Consumers Action Network (ACCAN), Mr Allan Asher, and Teresa Corbin CEO of Consumers? Telecommunications Network (CTN) as ACCAN's Deputy CEO, as announced today.

Claims of industry links to illegal Congo coltan mining are wrong AMTA has dismissed newspaper claims that the mobile telecommunications industry is involved in or contributes to illegal mining of coltan, which threatens the habitat of gorillas in the Congo.

Mobile shipments jump! There were 788,908 shipments of mobile phones to Australia in March 2009, according to the latest industry figures. The shipments in March were up 51.27% on the previous month.

First SMS Worm Detected The company's Q1 2009 Security Threat Summary charted the first ever SMS virus, and a rise in social networking exploits during the first quarter of 2009.