INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Italian Communications Authority: plan to combat the so called "Cash for SMS" practice.
AGCOM has detected the spread of some applications that allow private holders of mobile telephone contracts to sell, for a fee, the SMS not consumed.
These SMS are then used by the companies that manage the applications to provide corporate messaging services, in violation of current legislation. This phenomenon, provided by unauthorized parties, generates various critical issues.
The first is the violation of the contract between the private user and the telephone operator. In addition, the companies that manage the applications send SMS with the telephone number of the end users who sold them to them. Consequently, the responsibility for the content of the messages sent lies with the number holders.
Finally, the application managers do not pay the due SMS termination prices. To counter this phenomenon, the Authority has adopted an action plan, which provides for the blocking of applications identified on the basis of supervisory activities, pursuant to Article 98-decies, paragraph 2, of the Electronic Communications Code.
This plan also commits operators to monitor the effects of the measures adopted and constantly inform AGCOM. Operators must also inform all users about the illicit nature of such practices and the risks associated with joining these initiatives (eg SIM blocking by the operator due to abnormal use).
For detailed information addressed to operators and easy consultation of the procedures for the action plan, you can consult the page https://www.agcom.it/comitato-tecnico-on the safety-of-electronic-communications
These SMS are then used by the companies that manage the applications to provide corporate messaging services, in violation of current legislation. This phenomenon, provided by unauthorized parties, generates various critical issues.
The first is the violation of the contract between the private user and the telephone operator. In addition, the companies that manage the applications send SMS with the telephone number of the end users who sold them to them. Consequently, the responsibility for the content of the messages sent lies with the number holders.
Finally, the application managers do not pay the due SMS termination prices. To counter this phenomenon, the Authority has adopted an action plan, which provides for the blocking of applications identified on the basis of supervisory activities, pursuant to Article 98-decies, paragraph 2, of the Electronic Communications Code.
This plan also commits operators to monitor the effects of the measures adopted and constantly inform AGCOM. Operators must also inform all users about the illicit nature of such practices and the risks associated with joining these initiatives (eg SIM blocking by the operator due to abnormal use).
For detailed information addressed to operators and easy consultation of the procedures for the action plan, you can consult the page https://www.agcom.it/comitato-tecnico-on the safety-of-electronic-communications
