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Aug 12 2003
The GSM
Association (GSMA), the trade association representing the world’s GSM
mobile operators, today welcomed the European Commission’s recent initiative
to combat ’spamming’. The GSMA agrees that the issue has global
ramifications and therefore global solutions are needed to combat the
problem.
’Spamming’ is the term given to the problem of unsolicited messages
transmitted over a variety of electronic communications media. At present,
the problem primarily affects fixed networks but with the success of text
messaging over mobile networks – ‘SMS spam’ is beginning to gain a foothold
in the mobile space.
“ The problem and potential impact of spamming reaches far beyond European
borders, and beyond SMS, as operators globally evolve and roll out the next
generation of mobile data services such as Multimedia Messaging Service -
MMS,” said Rob Conway, CEO of the GSM Association. “Our board is looking
very seriously at ways that our members can collectively combat this growing
problem on a proactive, global basis.”
GSM Europe, the regional interest group of the GSM Association, agrees that
the new EU provisions can help to limit the problem - if transposed in an
effective and fair manner.
“ Not only does spam irritate our customers,” said Kaisu Karvala, Chair of
GSM Europe, “it also impinges on operators’ businesses by impacting their
networks from a range of commercial and technical perspectives. Most
critical of all is the negative impact it has on customer relations, as
discontented customers often blame their operator for the inconvenience of
spam-SMS.”
While welcoming the Commission’s initiative however, GSM Europe stresses the
importance of balanced information to European consumers and businesses on
the new EU rules to fight spam. Any campaign or action by the Commission and
Member States directed to the general public should not only clarify the new
opt-in obligations under article 13.1, but also the rights obtained by
companies to market own, similar products and services (article 13.2).
Unless users and consumers are made aware of the idea behind the ‘soft
opt-in’ regime the EU has adopted, legitimate marketing of companies’ own
product and services could be perceived as unsolicited communications to the
detriment of European companies.
Apart from various proactive efforts undertaken by individual GSME members
to reduce spam in their mobile networks, GSM Europe is currently working on
a Draft set of Recommendation on spamming in mobile networks which coincides
with several of the issues raised by the Commission.
About the GSM Association:
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association, which exists to
promote, protect and enhance the interests of GSM mobile operators
throughout the world. It consists of more than 567 second and third
generation mobile operators and 129 manufacturers and suppliers. The
Association's members currently provide mobile services to more than 879
million (end June) customers across 197 countries and regions around the
world. The GSMA aims to accelerate the implementation of collectively
identified, commercially prioritised operator requirements and to take
leadership in representing the global GSM mobile operator community with one
voice on a wide variety of issues nationally, regionally and globally.
The GSM family of wireless communications platforms, including
GSM,
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services),
EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) and
W-CDMA
account for approximately 72 percent of the total digital wireless market
today. The GSM Association is a unique organisation, with truly global
reach, offering a full range of business and technical services to its
members. For more information, visit the website at
http://www.gsmworld.com/.
The GSM Association’s Board comprises the following operator companies and
multinational groups: AT&T Wireless Group; China Mobile; China Unicom;
Hutchison Group; KT ICOM; Maxis Mobile; mmO2 Group; NTT DoCoMo, Inc.; Orange
Group; Orascom Telecom Group; SFR Cegetel; SingTel Group; SUNDAY
Communications Ltd; Taiwan Cellular; Telefónica Móviles Group; Telenor
Mobile Group; TeliaSonera Group; TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile) Group; T-Mobile
Group; Turkcell and the Vodafone Group. The Board also includes the GSMA’s
CEO and Chairman of the Executive Management Committee.
About GSM Europe
GSM Europe is the European interest group of the GSM Association, the
premier global body behind the world's leading wireless communications
standard. GSM Europe represents around 143 operators in 50 countries/areas
in Europe and counts around 380 million subscribers. The GSM Association is
responsible for the development, deployment and evolution of the GSM
standard for digital wireless communications and for the promotion of the
GSM platform. For more information, visit the website at
http://www.gsmeurope.org/.
Contact Information:
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