Venezuela Proposes to Hold Operators Responsible for SMS Content

Venezuela's telecoms regulator Conatel launched this week a public consultation on a reform bill that proposes to hold mobile operators accountable for the content sent in text messages via their networks, the watchdog said in a statement.

The proposed changes in article 8 can be reviewed on Conatel's website for the duration of the consultation period running December 10-24.

Operators should warn subscribers in their contracts that it is forbidden to send messages that encourage illegal acts or send unsolicited publicity, the statement read.

The bill is expected to be approved over the next few days and published in the official gazette.

Operators are expected to have in place by January 15 measures to detect such messages.

Posted to the site on 13th December 2007