Optus And Telstra Each Select Wmc Global To Monitor Premium Sms In Market

For further information, please contact:

Laura Kulak, VP Special Projects
WMC Global
[email protected]
(0)2 9959 1001

Melissa Clare, Manager
Optus, Corporate Affairs
[email protected]
(0)2 8082 9021

Martin Barr, Media Spokesperson
Telstra, Media Relations
[email protected]
(0)3 9634 4990

Optus and Telstra Each Select WMC Global to Strengthen Monitoring of Mobile Premium Services and Associated Advertising


SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, November 9, 2009Today, market leader WMC Global (WMC)
announced that it has been selected by Optus and Telstra each to implement in-market monitoring of mobile premium SMS services advertising that targets their Australian subscribers as well as SMS message flows generated during services opt-in and participation. WMC intercepts in market (exactly as the consumer experiences them), audits, and reports on TV, print, and Web-based advertisements for mobile premium SMS services and tests the services themselves to ensure they are operating according to individual carrier codes of conduct and the Mobile Premium Services Code. Mobile premium SMS services include chat, tele-voting, and premium content downloadable to mobile devices, such as ringtones, wallpapers, games, videos, and text alerts.

"By engaging WMC Global, Australian carriers have taken a proactive approach to protecting their subscribers," said Colin Matthews, the company's CEO. "As the sole provider of third-party content monitoring in the United States, we bring significant expertise in safeguarding the mobile premium services environment for all stakeholdersconsumers, carriers, content providers and aggregators who play by the rules, and industry associations."


Communications Alliance chief executive Anne Hurley added, "This major initiative builds upon other industry activities, including the 19sms.com.au consumer information Website and the new industry code. We welcome its introduction and the additional assurance it will offer to consumers of premium SMS services." The Mobile Premium Services Code was developed jointly by carriers, content providers, and consumer representatives through the Communications Alliance and, earlier this year, was registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Breaches result in content providers' being notified in the first instance and advised of a short timeframe to resolve the breach. WMC escalates uncorrected, egregious, and repeated breaches directly to participating mobile carriers, who may take action under their commercial contracts by, for example, imposing financial penalties or shutting down the shortcode.


WMC services include:

* MPS In-Market Monitoring. Interception in market, audit, and reporting of advertising creative to determine and ensure its compliance with industry and carrier codes of conduct.

* MPS In-Market Message Flow Monitoring. Interception in market, audit, and reporting of SMS message flows generated during services opt-in and participation to determine and ensure the messages' compliance with industry and carrier codes of conduct and to verify that the associated advertising accurately reflects the services delivered.

* Enforcement and Response Service. Q&A communications with content providers and aggregators to eliminate noncompliant advertising, services, and SMS message flows within strict timeframes, with persistent noncompliance escalated to affected carriers.

About WMC Global

WMC Global (WMC) is the exclusive provider of in-market compliance monitoring of mobile premium services and advertising to Tier 1 U.S. wireless carriers, U.K. mobile operators, and now two mobile carriers in Australia. Every month, across three continents, our team of highly trained media researchers and analysts intercept more than 30,000 mobile premium services advertising campaigns in market as the consumer experiences themand audits the associated creative for compliance with industry best practices and carrier-specific policies. Then, we report our findings to our clients and assist with enforcing established standards. Our recent entry into international markets means that all participants in these areas can function with more confidence in the mobile premium services environment.


SOURCE: WMC Global