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Issue No 43 12/12/11
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Seasons greetings and best wishes for the new year.
This is the last issue of We Communicate for 2011. Thank you to all our members for their support and contribution during 2011 and thank you to all those people who have participated in the various projects undertaken within Communications Alliance over the past 12 months.
The Communications Alliance office will be closed from 23 December 2011 and will reopen on Tuesday 3 January 2012. We look forward to working with you in 2012.
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Revised Code on Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment (C564:2011)
Communications Alliance has published the revised Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Industry Code (C564:2011). This Code is a revision of the Deployment of Mobile Phone Network Infrastructure Industry Code (ACIF C564:2004) and has been renamed to clarify its purpose.
The Code requires mobile carriers to consult with the local community, including local councils and to adopt a precautionary approach in planning, installing and operating mobile phone base stations. The Code supplements the requirements placed on the industry under existing legislation.
This Code has been revised to:
- require carriers to develop and evolve the consultation plan for new proposals;
- improve transparency and visibility of the consultation process with local council and communities;
- increase the existing time allowed for local council and the community to comment on proposals for new infrastructure;
- incorporate new and revised methods of communicating with local councils and the community (e.g. website, letters, signage); and
- update the Code with current regulatory information and to relevant standards.
The revised Code will be submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for registration with a planned commencement date of 1 July 2012.
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Revised Mobile Premium Services Industry Code
Communications Alliance has published the revised Mobile Premium Services Industry Code (C637:2011). This Code is a revision of the registered Mobile Premium Services Industry Code (C637:2009) and is to be submitted to the ACMA for registration. The current Code remains as the registered Code with which providers must comply until the new Code is registered.
The Mobile Premium Services Code sets out rules that apply to service providers in relation to the supply of Mobile Premium Services in Australia. The 2011 revision of the Code introduces the following key amendments to the registered Code:
- increased accessibility aimed at making the Code easier to read and understand for both suppliers and consumers. Each chapter has a summary table to direct readers to relevant provisions;
- additional requirements that improve the clarity of advertising, specifically for online advertisements;
- streamlining of the double opt-in procedure which consolidates the opt-in process for non-mobile, WAP and IVR request mechanisms with the opt-in process for mobile originating requests to create a new single, technology neutral opt-in process;
- new requirements stipulating that specific information (STOP facility, inclusion of the term “subscribe/subscription”, Helpline, service name) be included in subscription messages;
- a consolidated process for all chat services;
- new protections relating to the supply of reverse charge billing services;
- new requirements on carriage service providers that mandate the provision of quarterly industry compliance reporting data to the ACMA.
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Communications Alliance publishes Pit and Pipe Specification for NBN greenfield development sites
Communications Alliance has published its Fibre Ready Pit and Pipe Specification for Real Estate Development Projects (G645:2011) to give greater certainty when rolling out the National Broadband Network (NBN), particularly in greenfield developments.
The Specification captures industry best practices to facilitate the consistent rollout of new fibre infrastructure in a range of different greenfield development sites. The document is designed to complement amendments to the Telecommunications Act 1997 and arising from the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2011 by:
- outlining the minimum industry requirement for telecommunications pit and pipe installation for it to be considered a ‘fibre ready facility’; and
- describing recommended processes for the design and installation of pit and pipe facilities for use in the deployment of ‘optical fibre lines’.
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New Working Committee on Customer Cabling Installation
Communications Alliance is seeking expressions of interest for representatives for the Customer Cabling Installation Revision Working Committee (WC35). The Working Committee is to revise the Installation requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules) Standard (AS/ACIF S009:2006) following an extensive review of the Standard by the Customer Equipment and Cable Reference Panel which included contributions from stakeholders.
Information packs and nomination forms for the Working Committee are available by contacting Communications Alliance. Nominations are requested by Friday 3 February 2012.
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Communications Alliances engages new Media and Communications Advisers
Communications Alliance has engaged Kreab Gavin Anderson as its media and communications advisers effective 1 January 2012 with Director Amanda Buckley and Executive Associate Lucy Mudd our consultants.
Kreab Gavin Anderson is a global strategic communications partnership established in Australasia for 30 years. The company has around 45 staff based in five offices (Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Auckland).
As part of a global network KGA has offices in London, New York, Washington, Brussels, Madrid, Frankfurt, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore, Lisbon, Sao Paulo and Jeddah.
Communications Alliance records its appreciation for all the good communications work undertaken on our behalf by Einsteinz over the past several years.
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NBN Stakeholder Messaging Platform released
Communications Alliance has released the NBN Stakeholder Messaging Platform document. The document addresses a wide range of likely questions and issues relevant to consumers and Service Providers on migration of customers to NBN-based services including descriptions of what migration will involve, who the key players in that activity will be, and issues such as services, contracts equipment, fault management and more.
In the creation of the document Communications Alliance has received valuable input from numerous parties, including (but not limited to) the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE), NBN Co, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), Carriage Service Providers and the Copper Development Centre.
This document is intended to provide NBN stakeholders with information that will assist them in the creation of their own communications material for their customers and stakeholders.
The document is available for Communications Alliance members from the Members only Documents on the Members Area webpage.
Interested Service Providers who are not members of Communications Alliance are invited to contact Communications Alliance for further information.
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Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code Compliance Training
Communications Alliance is undertaking a series of one day training courses to help equip telecommunications service providers with the tools they will need to comply with the revised and strengthened TCP Code – scheduled to come into force in early 2012.
The revised Code includes, for the first time, a strong compliance monitoring framework – to be delivered by a new and independent body named Communications Compliance.
The Communications Alliance training program will enable service providers to understand their compliance obligations and the steps they need to take to fulfil these. The training will be undertaken by seasoned industry experts and will leave service providers with a suite of compliance tools.
Message from Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, DBCDE
Message from Chris Chapman, Chair & CEO, The ACMA
Who should attend: Representatives from carriage service providers, internet service providers and content service providers.
Cost: AUD $650+GST
Register your Interest for 2012 - click here.
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Speakers include:
Selina Lo, President and CEO of Ruckus Wireless, David Thodey, CEO Telstra Corporation, Mark Scott, Managing Director, ABC, Steve Wood, CEO Tennis Australia, plus a host of other expert presenters.
The conference will look at what is needed to truly deliver on the promise of a perpetually connected and rewarding environment, including:
- the commercial, network, device and application challenges to create seamless connectivity for digital citizens
- public Wi-fi networks and the new business models emerging in the wireless environment
- location-based services, the digital wallet and loyalty channels
- IPTV and Triple-play opportunities; and
- the new regulatory puzzles.
Find out more here - www.broadbandandbeyond.com.
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