SAN DIEGO, Aug. 9, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- In an effort to bolster consumer confidence worldwide, the host to the largest community of mobile consumers in the world (www.sms.ac) today announced the creation and implementation of a global Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights. The Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights is viewable within this document and at www.sms.ac/corporate.
Earlier this year, SMS.ac's chief executive officer projected that revenues generated from mobile data would reach $200 billion by 2010. Michael Pousti, whose mobile data communication company is grounded in a growing social networking community of more than 40 million registered members (www.sms.ac), also stated that consumer confidence would be a determining factor in that prediction coming to fruition.
"The Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights is by design, brief and easy-to-understand," explained Pousti. "Essentially, it's a best-practices guide which SMS.ac adheres to that was composed utilizing our experience, along with feedback from our global mobile community of consumers, network operators, regulators and mobile data application and content companies. Where clarity, accountability and a commitment to satisfaction are found, consumer confidence will follow. That bodes well for the financial future of every mobile data application or content enterprise that is looking to keep customers and the revenues they produce at their fingertips.
"But, let us be very aware of the consequences that could befall the mobile data industry if consumer confidence wanes, as it did when fixed-line carriers previously opened their billing systems," Pousti warned. "Remember 900 numbers? That was a train wreck. This time around, industry leaders cannot afford to be short-sighted. Our very survival hinges on the ability to focus on what ultimately matters-- the consumer. Mobile carriers cannot carry the burden of this challenge by themselves-- the responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of mobile application and content providers to provide clarity and transparency to consumers."
SMS.ac enables the exchange of multimedia communications worldwide, utilizing relationships with hundreds of mobile carriers. SMS.ac's billing relationships with those carriers allow members to make use of SMS.ac products and services and those of its partners, with all applicable charges appearing on the consumers' monthly phone bill, or with the charges debited against their pre-paid accounts.
"As technology improves and mobile devices evolve into our everything-in-one devices, more consumers will be purchasing products and services from their handsets," said Brent Iadarola, industry research manager of mobile communications, for Frost & Sullivan. "A Mobile Bill of Rights for consumers worldwide is a positive step for a nascent industry that would benefit from a code of conduct relating to content and service providers."
The preamble for the SMS.ac-authored Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights is as follows: "In order to protect mobile consumers around the world and to instill in them consumer confidence designed to promote the global consumption of goods and services, this Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights was created.
Mobile consumers are entitled to specific and unalienable rights. By incorporating the Mobile Consumer Bill of Rights in to their business practices, businesses assure mobile phone users an enjoyable and safe environment where they may communicate and consume with confidence a growing range of products and services that are available to them via their wireless handsets."
"Payment transactions by phone are a relatively new phenomenon," said Albert Lin, research director at American Technology Research. "Consumers in the mobile and online arenas are looking for assurances that they will be treated fairly, courteously and without surprises. As consumer confidence rises and as more leading businesses institute and put into practice a consumer bill of rights, as SMS.ac has done, it's entirely possible for mobile phones to experience a smoother and more sustained growth pattern toward becoming a significant purchasing mechanism.
"SMS.ac's global footprint, combined with the fact that they are a coupler between hundreds of carriers and tens of millions of wireless users around the world, gives this Bill of Rights a greater chance for adoption, from consumers and from enterprises that are looking to do business with SMS.ac," added Lin.
The Mobile Consumers Bill of Rights:
1. Clear Description and Pricing:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to clear and easy-to-
understand descriptions of the products and services for
which they are paying.
-- Mobile consumers have the right to know exact costs for
all products and services prior to purchase, clearly
expressed in each customer's local currency, without the
confusion of moving, scrolling or otherwise difficult-to-
read text.
2. Privacy, Opt-in and Opt-out:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to communicate, participate
and transact in a safe environment, where their personal
information is protected.
-- All pay-for products and services must include an opt-in
process for the consumer that is clear and concise.
-- All pay-for products, including premium SMS (text) messages
received on a consumer's phone must contain clear and easy-
to-follow instructions on how to opt-out of the product
and/or service, along with confirmation that their opt-out
process was successful, delivered on a non-premium message.
3. Prompt Possession and Satisfaction:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to receive the goods and
services they paid for in a timely fashion and in a manner
that meets their expectations.
4. Customer Service and Technical Support:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to courteous customer
service and technical support that are easily accessible
24-hours per day and seven days each week.
-- Mobile consumers must receive replies to all inquiries
within 24 hours.
-- Mobile consumers must have their issues resolved quickly
and respectfully.
-- Customer service assistance should be available through:
Toll-free phone service, and/or real-time online chat with
service personnel, as well as via email response
5. Money-back Refund:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to request a money-back
refund, in the event they are unhappy with the product or
service provided. Money-back refund policies should be
available to all mobile consumers within the initial 30
days of purchase, when customer confusion is most likely to
occur.
6. Customer Confidence:
-- Mobile consumers have the right to say, "NO."
-- NO surprises. Customers only receive goods and services
that they requested.
-- NO hidden costs
-- NO invisible opt-ins.
-- NO spy ware or other forms of intrusive data collection
unless clearly specified by the content provider and opted-
in to by the customer.
-- NO spam. Mobile phone users have the right to a spam-free
environment, where only authorized messages are sent to
their phones.
The world's premier conference relating to mobile data is coming to San Diego, May 10-12, 2006. For more information on Global Mobile 2006, please visit www.globalmobile.ac.
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About SMS.ac
SMS.ac, Inc. is a global leader in mobile data communications. The company's proprietary MMSbox(tm) platform enables the interoperable exchange of mobile multimedia (MMS and SMS) and micro-transaction billing across all mobile standards, protocols and the Internet. A demonstration of the MMSbox platform is available at www.sms.ac.
With more than 40 million registered mobile consumers in 180+ countries, and connectivity to more than 400 mobile operators worldwide, SMS.ac is host to the largest community of mobile phone users in the world. Through its global initiatives, SMS.ac is igniting the widespread adoption and use of wireless data. To view the SMS.ac corporate web site, visit www.sms.ac/corporate.