2004-17-Jan

Helsinki - A service promising to answer people's prayers with an SMS apparently sent by God has been shut down after complaints by Finland's cellphone services watchdog.

The heavenly service offered answers from God in response to an SMS prayer at the cost of a hefty €1,20 (about R10) per message, but lasted less than a month.

"These kinds of services are against basic norms," Ville Nurmi, ombudsman for Finland's cellphone content watchdog MAPEL, told reporters on Friday.

Finland's Mobile G Host transmitted the messages, but declined to name the company that provided the replies from "God". Chief Executive Marko Hakala said the service had been axed as soon as he discovered what was being offered.

He declined to say how many prayers had been received, but added: "This was no gold mine. It seems you can't interest people in everything."

The Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat tested the service before it was shut down. It sent a prayer of desperation which was answered thus: "Remember: unless you follow God's will much better than priests and pharaohs, you will not be allowed into the heavenly kingdom."

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2004
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Malaysian couple misread text competition details
Consumer group formulates cell phone in-flight policy
GSM Wireless Nanny Blocker Launched
UK Mobile Operators Block Online Porn
Finland's cellphone service watchdog shuts down SMSs from 'God'
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2003
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EU presses for mobile spam and privacy laws
Mobile Phone whilst driving ban commences in the UK
"No cell phones" sticker now trademarked
Warning That Bluetooth Class I devices pose hacking & security risk
Anti-spam laws now in force in the UK ban unsolicited SMS
South Korea Clamps Down on SMS Spam
Tackling worldwide trade in stolen mobiles
New GSM Jammer Looks Like a GSM Cellphone
Sangyo 360 degree surveilance camera working with 3G phones
Bizarre Jamming Of Moldova GSM Network
Camera phones a threat to industrial secrets
US tower firm fined over safety violations
Mobile Phone whilst driving ban commences in the UK
Lawsuit over GSM network seizure in Cote d'Ivoire
African GSM Operators Create Mobile Phone EIR Blacklist
Woman suffers facial burns from cell phone
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Calif. bans mobile phone spam
Security Concerns Still Slowing Mobile App Deployment
DoCoMo Mova F505i wth fingerprint authentication technology
GSM Association sets its sights on spamming globally
Vodafone to clamp down on SMS Spam
GSM Jammer Security Device saved Pakistan's president
Worlds First Mobile Spyphone Launched
EU moves against illegal and harmful content online
Korean Government Admits Developing Anti-Tapping
South Korea to introduce tougher Location laws

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