Tanner, yesterday issued a statement calling for telcos and the government to develop standards to improve the reliability of text messaging services.
Although Tanner has not yet met with the mobile carriers about the issue, he said he would be raising it with them in the near future. He said he believed that it was an emerging issue, particularly given the recent price rises for text messaging.
-As Australians come to rely on text messaging more for general communications it is important that the Government and telecommunications companies begin to develop standards and procedures to govern SMS reliability," he said.
-In Europe systems exist to confirm messages have been delivered and bulk service customers can get delivery reports in Australia. The technology exists and we need to ascertain whether it can be delivered to consumers without adversely affecting the SMS network or prices," Tanner added.
Ross Monaghan, chief executive officer of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) said he was confused as to the reason for the Shadow Minister's request for the standards.
Monaghan said he had not heard of either AMTA members or consumers calling for these sorts of standards. "People understand the limitations of SMS," he said. "It's a cost-effective and quick way to be able to communicate with other people on mobile phones....I'd be surprised if many messages went astray."
Monaghan also reiterated the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) call in recent months that SMS wasn't suitable for use in emergencies.
"It is not designed to be used in an emergency," Monaghan said.
Likewise, Barry Evans, chief technical officer at Virgin Mobile, said that emerging technologies, such as 3G and GPRS, would provide greater means for this sort of functionality.
He didn't believe it was appropriate for SMS. "The SMS delivery method was, in my view, never originally designed to transmit secure or delicate information," Evans said. "If somebody wanted to secure or confirm delivery of data of a delicate nature there are multiple methods available which would allow that to occur."
Evans used the analogy of the postal system, where people will use a delivery method with sign-off for sending certain types of printed matter.
However, Tanner referred to the ACA telecommunications report this month which says last year's SMS average price of 16c was still relatively expensive by international standards. "Now that Telstra and Optus have increased their prices to 25c a message they have no excuse for refusing to provide reliability standards and mechanisms," he said.
-Telcos can't just take the money and run on this highly profitable new communications medium. They must ensure that consumers are getting through and not messaging in the dark," Tanner added.
