15 June 2012
New Mobile Phone Deployment Industry Code raises bar on community consultation
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has registered a new Industry Code for Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment (the code) that will significantly improve community consultation by industry. It was developed following a review by Communications Alliance Ltd, the primary telecommunications industry body in Australia.
‘The new code raises the bar on community consultation and transparency about carriers installing mobile phone base stations and I expect that it will help to address recent community concerns about the location of new base stations,’ said ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman.
The new code contains a number of enhancements, including:
- encouraging an improved collaborative approach between carriers, local councils and the community
- early identification of community-sensitive locations
- improving understanding of consultation requirements by simplifying readability and the code’s structure
- providing a toolkit for carriers and their agents as part of the consultation process to maintain consistency in their approach
- greater accessibility of information about new base stations through a ‘community consultation web portal.’
The code is available from the Communications Alliance website and will come into effect on 1 July 2012.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Emma Rossi, Media Manager, (02) 9334 7719 and 0434 652 063 or media@acma.gov.au.
