BulkSMS.com is hosting a mobile industry briefing in Johannesburg on 17 May 2007 on how to ensure commercial SMS communication campaigns comply with legislation and regulation in South Africa.
After a runaway success in Cape Town, BulkSMS has decided to take the event to Johannesburg, and have timed it to fit in with the Futurex and Equip 2007 tradeshow at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Keynote speaker, Brendan Hughes, Senior Associate at Michalsons Attorneys and a member of the WASPA Appeals Panel will talk about legislation and the mobile industry in South Africa, and Dr Pieter E Streicher, MD of BulkSMS.com and member of WASPA, will explain what the WASPA regulations mean for your business.
In today's world, the cellphone has become the most sought-after means for businesses to communicate with customers, clients or suppliers. There are an estimated 30 million cellphone owners in South Africa (World Wireless Forum, "South African Mobile Market 2006"), and cellphones are seen as best means to communicate instantaneously with a targeted audience regardless of time or place.
Commercial SMS communications fall into one of two types: (1) messages sent by businesses to promote and market their goods and services, or (2) subscription or premium-rated services enabling consumer/clients to accessing information or content via SMS, MMS or WAP channels.
With the increase in permission and below-the-line mobile advertising and marketing communications, industry-led efforts through the Wireless Application Service Provider Association (WASPA) aim at ensuring that industry complies with legislation.
WASPA has also begun regulating the use of SMS as a channel for commercial messages. WASPA has established a code of conduct for services providers and drafted advertising rules for all businesses using SMS communications (see www.waspa.org.za).
In this mobile industry briefing we address key issues pertaining to commercial SMS communications in South Africa:
* What legislation should be considered when sending or setting up channels for SMS communications. In particular, what the Electronic Communications and Transactions (ECT) Act means for SMS communications for all businesses sending SMS to external parties.
* Designing mobile marketing campaigns that comply with the WASPA code of conduct and the advertising rules. This includes subscription services, premium-rated campaigns (advertising and competitions) and other communications for marketing, promotions and contact services.
* How to define mobile spam.
* Adopting an appropriate and industry accepted opt-out mechanism for commercial SMS messages.
* The WASPA consumer complaints process and the types of penalties that may be imposed on service providers and information providers for non-compliance.
* Best practice examples of commercial SMS communications.
The mobile briefing will be hosted on 17 May at the Intercontinental Sandton Sun & Towers, Sandton at 7:30am to 10:00am. To register for this event, please RSVP by Wednesday, 16 May 2007 to Deirdre van Zyl Smit on 082 3244 639 or rsvp@bulksms.com. Cost: R300pp (R150 for BulkSMS clients).
Share
Bulksms.com is a leading wireless application service provider offering bulk SMS solutions to the businesses, organisations, schools and individuals in South Africa, United Kingdom, Europe, and USA. Bulksms.com is a Cape Town-based company and has been in operation since 2000. Bulksms.com offers bulk SMS messaging, subscription and premium-rate solutions to meet the communications needs of business, public benefit organisations and individuals.
Dr Pieter E Streicher, managing director of Bulksms.com, sits on the management committee of the Wireless Application Service Provider Association (WASPA).
BulkSMS.com is a member of WASPA, Wireless World Forum (W2F) and 160 Characters.
For more information about Bulksms.com's services, visit www.bulksms.com, e-mail service@bulksms.com, or contact the company on telephone (021) 409 7815.
Editorial contacts