The Mobile Carriers Forum has welcomed the continuing decline in complaints to the ACMA regarding the Industry’s consultation practices when establishing telecommunications facilities.

The 2007/08 ACMA Annual Report reveals that the ACMA received 13 enquiries and only 6 complaints relating to the compliance of the 4 mobile network carriers with mandatory obligations under the consultation code “Deployment of Mobile Phone Network Infrastructure”. By comparison, in 2002/2003 the ACMA received 137 complaints.

Carriers conducted an estimated 2,587 consultations under the code during 2007/08. “What the latest statistics from ACMA demonstrate is that just 0.19% of consultation processes conducted by the 4 carriers attracted a complaint” said MCF Program Manager Matt Evans. “Since the introduction of the Code, carriers have been much more transparent and accountable for their decision making, more consistent in the information they provide, and more responsive to community feedback”.

“The carriers deploying mobile networks are continually refining and seeking to improve their consultation practices with communities, as we recognise that people still have concerns about the siting of mobile network base stations”.

Complaints Against Carriers Consultation Practices Summary 02/03 – 07/08