Service provider fined £50,000 for misleading consumers over app charges – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 5th, 2012 in consumer protection, news, service charges, telecommunications, tribunals by sally

“A premium rate service (PRS) provider has been fined £50,000 after the industry’s regulator ruled that it had charged mobile phone users to download a games application without adequate consent to do so.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th September 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Phone-hacking investigations and prosecutions ‘could take three years’ – The Guardian

Posted September 4th, 2012 in interception, media, news, police, telecommunications, trials by sally

“Senior Scotland Yard officer Stephen Kavanagh is to take over Sue Akers’s role overseeing the investigations into phone hacking and other alleged illegal activities by journalists, with the police budgeting for the process to last another three years and cost about £40m.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

O2 to challenge Ofcom’s 4G auction decision – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 31st, 2012 in competition, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

“Mobile phone operator O2 will appeal against Ofcom’s decision to allow a rival firm to launch superfast broadband services later this year using its existing network capabilities, according to media reports.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th August 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

“More consistent” consumer complaints handling promised as part of Ofcom’s review of dispute resolution – OUT-LAW.com

“Changes to the way official alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes work will lead to consistent outcomes for consumers making complaints about telephone, mobile or broadband services, Ofcom has announced.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 23rd August 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Coventry man guilty of encouraging disorder during riots – BBC News

Posted August 22nd, 2012 in incitement, news, telecommunications, violent disorder by sally

“A man has been found guilty of encouraging disorder in Coventry during last summer’s riots across England.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st August 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Network access charges imposed by BT on rivals were unjustified, Court of Appeal rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 31st, 2012 in appeals, EC law, news, telecommunications, tribunals by sally

“The prices that BT charged rivals to access parts of its network to provide services to their subscribers were not justified, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Security services to get more access to monitor emails and social media – The Guardian

“Britain has quietly agreed to measures that could increase the ability of the security services to intercept online communications, experts say.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom to offer greater transparency over competition law investigation process – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 27th, 2012 in competition, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Ofcom will set out a formal timetable for completing investigations into alleged breaches of competition law in the communications sector and will publish an explanation on its website if it fails to comply with its specified deadline, the regulator has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Operation Weeting – CPS charging decisions – Crown Prosecution Service

“Statement from Alison Levitt QC, Principal Legal Advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP): This statement is made in the interests of transparency and accountability to explain the decisions reached in relation to Operation Weeting.”

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 24th July 2012

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Phone hacking: mother of murder victim Clare Bernal sues NI – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2012 in class actions, interception, news, telecommunications by sally

“The mother of Clare Bernal, who was murdered by a former boyfriend while working at Harvey Nichols, has joined the second wave of alleged victims of News of the World phone hacking suing News International for damages.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prosecutors to announce decision in phone hacking cases – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 24th, 2012 in interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire are among those expected to find out today if they are to be charged in connection with the phone hacking scandal.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hoax caller jailed for sparking national terror alert – Daily Telegraph

“Hoax caller Khadar Mohidin has been jailed for sparking a national terror alert by ringing police and claiming 15 suicide bombers were about to attack London on the day Hillary Clinton was to meet with David Cameron.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bernie Ecclestone blackmailed by dental technician who claimed he had kidnapped daughter Tamara – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 18th, 2012 in blackmail, guilty pleas, kidnapping, news, telecommunications by sally

“A dental technician who threatened to kidnap Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter Tamara in a £200,000 blackmail plot faces a substantial jail term.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man appeals against ban on replying to children – The Independent

Posted July 17th, 2012 in children, contact orders, custody, news, parental rights, telecommunications by sally

“A father-of-four has criticised an ‘absurd’ court order that bans him from returning his children’s text messages or phone calls.”

Full story

The Independent, 17th July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Snooping errors twice led to wrongful detention, watchdog reveals – The Guardian

“The police have wrongly accused and detained two people in separate cases as a result of mistakes made in the disclosure of their personal communications data, a watchdog has revealed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Views sought on Government’s ‘communications data’ surveillance plans – OUT-LAW.com

“A Parliamentary committee is seeking views on Government plans to expand existing laws on communications surveillance.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill call for evidence – Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill

“The Joint Committee is a committee of both Houses appointed to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Communications Data Bill. Inquiry Status: The Committee has issued a Call for Evidence, which asks for submissions by 23 August 2012.”

Full story

Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill, 5th July 2012

Source: www.parliament.uk

HTC victory over Apple in latest round of patent battle – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2012 in news, patents, telecommunications by sally

“Apple lost a key patent battle against smartphone rival HTC in the high court in London today, meaning that the Silicon Valley company cannot ban certain of the Taiwanese firm’s products in Britain.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: Glenn Mulcaire loses disclosure battle – BBC News

Posted July 4th, 2012 in disclosure, interception, news, Supreme Court, telecommunications by sally

“Glenn Mulcaire has lost his Supreme Court battle to keep secret the identity of the person who instructed him to hack into mobile phone messages.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Foreign powers will be allowed to access email and phone records – Daily Telegraph

“Foreign governments could be given details of Britons’ phone calls, emails and internet usage in another ‘deeply troubling’ part of new surveillance plans.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk