Noisy commuters being told to mind their mobile manners

Sources: PerthNow and AMTA

Loudmouth mobile phone users on trains and buses in Western Australia will be targeted in a new campaign to tackle the growing annoyance”

Public transport commuters who are loud on mobile phones and MP3 players may face being kicked off trains & buses in WA.

Wouldn’t we all like to see this rolled out across the nation?

Survey: Top 3 public annoyances on transport

A survey was conducted – here’s the top 3.

1. Loud mobile phone conversations
   “An overwhelming 90 per cent said loud mobile phone conversations were the most annoying part of their journeys.”
2. Noisy portable music players
   ” A number spoke passionately about … being forced to listen to … thumping bass music from earphones.”
3. Ear-piercing polyphonic ringtones

Can I add keypad tones here?  I’d like to ensure that’s on the list.  Who the hell wants to listen to someone’s keypad tones, annoyingly “beep, beep, beeping” out their SMS’s.

Oh and game tones.  As above…

Mind your Mobile Manners

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) encourages individuals to use their mobile phones in a responsible manner and to be considerate and aware of situations where using their mobile phone might annoy others.”

Check out the AMTA’s Mind Your Mobile Manners guidelines.

Respect!

Prevention is the key to protecting yourself

A new guide has been released by the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) to try helping you gain “affordable and responsible access” to premium SMS/MMS services.

The guide provides some practical tips and information, as well as some “do’s and don’ts”.

Important tips

• Ask questions and read the terms & conditions.  If you’re not sure about anything, ask before you subscribe!
• Don’t use a premium service unless you know the full cost: cost per message, frequency of messages, total cost to you.
• Text “STOP” to cancel a premium SMS/MMS service.
• Keep a record of all premium services you subscribe to and total expected costs – so you don’t get any surprises when you get your bill.

Experience any issues?

• Any problems, call the company providing the premium SMS/MMS service or your carrier.
• If you’re not happy with the response, contact the TIO (for premium issues) or ACMA (for spam and scam).

AMTA guidelines

Check out the AMTA’s guidelines for Mobile Premium Services yourself.  Find out what they are, how to access them, costs associated with and the all important – cancelling them!

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Beware of new phone scams

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has warned about recorded telemarketing calls offering an ‘unexpected holiday prize’ that are being made to Australian consumers on the Do Not Call Register.

How can you protect yourself?

Read the Holiday Prize scam warning now and find out how to protect yourself against scams and fraud. See also the ACCC’s Scamwatch website for more information.

Receiving unwanted telemarketing calls?

If you haven’t already done so, list yourself on the Do No Call Register.

You can find information on their site as to which types of calls are still allowed and which are banned.  You can then lodge a complaint if calls persist.

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How many Australian’s still have a landline?

Actually – if I were to ask “how many Australians rely solely on a land line?”, I think you’d be surprised.

Landline only

A report released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that only 10% of Australian’s do not have a mobile. That 10% of “techno-non-adaptors” (their words…) rely solely on a fixed line for voice communication.
[Imagine - they can probably go away for the weekend in peace, without being pestered by sms and mobile phone calls?]

Landline and mobile

Also noted is that 90% have both land lines and mobiles, but half of those (45%) prefer to mainly use their mobile.
[Perhaps those 45% are still tied up in landline contracts for their ADSL broadband?]

Mobiles

Of course, the number of consumers with mobiles in increasing dramatically. AMTA reports there is now more than one mobile service for each Australian. As at 30 June 2007 there was 21.26 million mobile services in operation, with the increase continuing at a rapid pace.

Why?

There’s many reasons for all these stats.

• Rising, unnecessary costs associated with fixed lines
• Mobile cap plans with credit for free calls and sms
• Cable and wireless broadband replacing the need for a land line
• More / new mobile broadband service providers
• Free or cheap Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls
• 3G technology (nearly a third of consumer’s phones are 3G)
• More children having mobile phones (even 42% of NZ children use mobile phones)

Any further ideas on these stats? Leave us a comment.

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