Mobile Phones - 3g
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Dermot Ahern T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources today announced new measures aimed at protecting children when the next generation of mobile phones come on stream later this year.

The Minister announced that, working with the mobile phone sector, he is to introduce a national register of the next generation 3G phones. These new phones are capable of carrying video clips and will be the most technologically advanced available.

Minister Ahern said a national register of all 3G phones would differ from the current position with existing handsets. For instance, pre-paid phones do not require registration of a users name.

Speaking at the launch of a parental guide for “Children and Mobile Phones,” the Minister said: “To protect Irish children I think we need to go beyond the present degree of protection - we need a national register of 3G phones. A national register of picture phones has proven impractical by virtue of the fact that we already had millions of GSM handsets in existence when picture-phones became available. But 3G is different.”

“Handsets will not be available until the end of the year and we have an opportunity now to provide increased safety mechanisms. In proposing a national register of 3G handsets I want to be clear that I intend working closely with industry on the detail of the register.”

“I know my officials have been already been in contact with the Irish Cellular Industry Association with a view to establishing a working group to develop proposals. But the bottom-line is this - while I understand the need to recoup infrastructural investment, while I understand the industry don’t want a cumbersome, impracticable register, which would put-off consumers and be unworkable, we must all understand that protection of minors is an absolute necessity - bigger than all other considerations."

“Working together we must aim to have the Register in place in advance of the commercial rollout of 3G.”

The Minister praised the new guide, brought out by the mobile phone sector. He said there had been dramatic increases in phone penetration. A recent survey of the Irish communications market showed that there are now 3.4 million mobile phones in Ireland, and the average user sends 82 text messages per month. The mobile penetration rate in Ireland reached 87% at the end of 2003, an increase of 4% on the previous quarter.

Minister Ahern concluded, "The “Children and Mobile Phones” guide seeks to educate parents and guardians in the ways in which they can gain greater visibility of their child’s mobile usage and the services they access. It also highlights the facility provided by operators, which allows authorised access for parents to a child’s account. Projects that promote safe and responsible use of mobile phones will have my continue support."

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:

Richard Moore

Press Advisor

Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

Adelaide Road

Dublin 2

Tel: +353-(01) - 678-2440

Fax: +353-(01) - 676-6161

 or

Tom Mc Loughlin

Press Officer

Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

Adelaide Road

Dublin 2

Tel: +353-(0) 1-678-2441

Fax: +353-(0) 1-676-6161

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