August 4, 2010 in Articles by admin

ACMA allows mobile communication on aircraft

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has recently finalised radiocommunications licensing arrangements to facilitate mobile communication services on aircraft.

‘The arrangements reflect the ACMA’s commitment to facilitating new and innovative services that provide a benefit to the public and increase consumer choice,’ said ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman.

‘In developing these arrangements, the ACMA was conscious of the need for harmonisation with aviation safety regulations and the protection of terrestrial communications networks from interference. ‘

The ACMA has consulted closely with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which has raised no technical objections to the new arrangements.

In areas which are not spectrum licensed, the new regulatory arrangements will authorise and license mobile communication services on aircraft by apparatus and class licences. In spectrum licensed areas and as a consequence of the current legislative construct, mobile communication services on aircraft may be authorised by agreement with the spectrum licence holder.

‘The licensing arrangements will allow airlines to deploy mobile communication services on their aircraft through special on-board systems, should they choose to do so,’ said Mr Chapman.

The use of on-board systems must at all times be in accordance with airline safety and operational procedures. Calls connecting directly to terrestrial networks are not authorised under the licensing arrangements.

Should alternative, safe methods of mobile communication on aircraft be proposed for commercial operation in the future (including those that access Australia’s terrestrial networks), the ACMA would move to consider those methods.

V Australia has announced plans to offer on-board SMS and data services subject to the ACMA making appropriate regulatory arrangements (which the licensing arrangements now facilitate).

In establishing permanent licensing arrangements, the ACMA does not propose to restrict the types of mobile communication services on aircraft that can be offered in order to exclude any particular service, including voice calls.

The ACMA regards the deployment of any particular kind of service as entirely a commercial decision to be made by service providers and airlines.

Following feedback from industry, the ACMA has adopted a revised fee regime and the licence issue charge will now be consistent with the ACMA’s charging for other apparatus licences.

Source: ACMA

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has recently finalised radiocommunications licensing arrangements to facilitate mobile communication services on aircraft.

‘The arrangements reflect the ACMA’s commitment to facilitating new and innovative services that provide a benefit to the public and increase consumer choice,’ said ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman.

‘In developing these arrangements, the ACMA was conscious of the need for harmonisation with aviation safety regulations and the protection of terrestrial communications networks from interference. ‘

The ACMA has consulted closely with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which has raised no technical objections to the new arrangements.

In areas which are not spectrum licensed, the new regulatory arrangements will authorise and license mobile communication services on aircraft by apparatus and class licences. In spectrum licensed areas and as a consequence of the current legislative construct, mobile communication services on aircraft may be authorised by agreement with the spectrum licence holder.

‘The licensing arrangements will allow airlines to deploy mobile communication services on their aircraft through special on-board systems, should they choose to do so,’ said Mr Chapman.

The use of on-board systems must at all times be in accordance with airline safety and operational procedures. Calls connecting directly to terrestrial networks are not authorised under the licensing arrangements.

Should alternative, safe methods of mobile communication on aircraft be proposed for commercial operation in the future (including those that access Australia’s terrestrial networks), the ACMA would move to consider those methods.

V Australia has announced plans to offer on-board SMS and data services subject to the ACMA making appropriate regulatory arrangements (which the licensing arrangements now facilitate).

In establishing permanent licensing arrangements, the ACMA does not propose to restrict the types of mobile communication services on aircraft that can be offered in order to exclude any particular service, including voice calls.

The ACMA regards the deployment of any particular kind of service as entirely a commercial decision to be made by service providers and airlines.

Following feedback from industry, the ACMA has adopted a revised fee regime and the licence issue charge will now be consistent with the ACMA’s charging for other apparatus licences.

Source: ACMA

July 6, 2010 in Articles, Surveys, Technology by admin

ACMA research into attitudes towards use of mobile payment

Methods of paying for goods and services via a mobile phone already exist, notably when it comes to premium SMS services which are often, but not exclusively, used for purchase of digital content. More advanced forms of mobile payment are now emerging.

In order to be abreast of the development curve and anticipate potential problems with emerging forms of mobile payment, the ACMA undertook this qualitative research study in order to obtain a better appreciation of the expectations of consumers and the possible need for consumer safeguards.

Teenagers, young adults and older persons — including parents — participated in focus group sessions in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia, and discussed a range of scenarios for the development of mobile payment.

As well as enabling the ACMA to better understand the potential benefits and problems associated with new mobile payment systems, the research also informs the ACMA in relation to the review of the Mobile Premium Services Code and contributes to the ACMA’s digital media literacy program.

Source: ACMA

Methods of paying for goods and services via a mobile phone already exist, notably when it comes to premium SMS services which are often, but not exclusively, used for purchase of digital content. More advanced forms of mobile payment are now emerging.

In order to be abreast of the development curve and anticipate potential problems with emerging forms of mobile payment, the ACMA undertook this qualitative research study in order to obtain a better appreciation of the expectations of consumers and the possible need for consumer safeguards.

Teenagers, young adults and older persons — including parents — participated in focus group sessions in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia, and discussed a range of scenarios for the development of mobile payment.

As well as enabling the ACMA to better understand the potential benefits and problems associated with new mobile payment systems, the research also informs the ACMA in relation to the review of the Mobile Premium Services Code and contributes to the ACMA’s digital media literacy program.

Source: ACMA

April 2, 2008 in Mobile Log by admin

Poetry in motion, literally

Poetry enthusiasts and emanilapoetry members can now have full access to www.emanilapoetry.com using their mobile phones. Recently re-launched by Team Emanila, the poetry site’s mobile version uses a WordPress PDA plugin.

“We are slowly reaping the benefits of migrating our site to WordPress,” says emanila publisher, Romy Cayabyab.

“The WP PDA is just one of the many plugins ~ developed by the WP community ~ that we have installed in the poetry site.  The current site is definitely more flexible and writer-friendly that it was last year.

“The WP install was the overwhelming favorite of our Writers Group members when asked  during a targeted online survey in July 2007.”