Communications Alliance, the peak body for the Australian communications industry, today announced the appointment of Ms Jane Smith as the Independent Chair for the Revision of the Communications Alliance Mobile Premium Services (MPS) Code.
The MPS Code – one of the key consumer protection co-regulatory codes maintained by Communications Alliance - came into effect on 1 July 2009 after being registered by the Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) and with the proviso that it be reviewed one year later.
That review has now concluded, with a decision to Revise the Code. Ms Smith will Chair the Working Committee that will carry out the Revision before presenting a revised code to the ACMA during the first half of 2011.
The Code governs industry behaviour in respect of mobile premium services, which include a range of value-added m-commerce services such as ring-tones, wallpapers, chat services and other content and service-based applications.
The CEO of Communications Alliance, John Stanton, said Ms Smith was well placed to lead the Revision, having extensive experience in both the content and telecommunications fields.
“Jane spent nine years as head of the NSW Office of Film and Television. She has occupied senior strategic roles with the ABC, has worked for Hugh Jackman in the film production field, and has been the telecommunications policy adviser to a Federal Minister for Communications, after beginning her career with Telecom Australia,” Mr Stanton said.
The Revision will be conducted by an elected MPS Code Revision Working Committee that will include consumer representatives, representatives of the telecommunications carrier sector and representatives of the Aggregator/Content Provider sector.
The role of the Revision Working Committee is to:
(i) Revise the Code within the confines of the stipulated terms of reference;
(ii) Produce draft outputs for the purposes of consultation with the ACMA, a public comment phase, and finally for submission to Communications Alliance Board for approval for submission to the ACMA for registration, noting that the Board cannot change the content of the Code and Guideline; and
(iii) Endeavour to achieve this via consensus.
The Communications Alliance has separately embarked on a revision of its other main consumer code, the Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code – a project that will also conclude in the first half of 2011.
The MPS Code and TCP Code can be downloaded from the Communications Alliance website: http://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/consumers
ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE
Communications Alliance is the peak body for the Australian communications industry. It presents a unified voice for its members in public policy, facilitates industry solutions to industry issues, and provides up-to-date information on industry issues. Communications Alliance is also leading the industry's response to the National Broadband Network implementation. For further information see www.commsalliance.com.au