Non-Compliant Mobile Marketers Targeted by CTIA Program - Street Savings Supports Initiative | MMA Global

Non-Compliant Mobile Marketers Targeted by CTIA Program - Street Savings Supports Initiative

August 3, 2011
August 3, 2011 (ORANGE, CA) – Street Savings today announced its support for the CTIA’s industry monitoring program designed to assess text messaging (short code, SMS) campaign compliance with established consumer best practices developed by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). CTIA-The Wireless Association® is an international nonprofit membership organization representing the wireless telecommunications industry. Enforcement of the CTIA’s industry monitoring program began August 1st. The CTIA, in collaboration with Wireless Media Consulting, Inc. (WMC), will audit SMS text message marketing programs to identify and eliminate those that are non-compliant with published industry standards. Depending on the severity of the program violation, wireless carriers can take action including non-renewal of the provider’s short-code lease. Street Savings has been educating the bankcard industry for the past two years on the risks for resellers and merchants involved with non-compliant text-message based mobile marketing programs. The company has presented at industry conferences and regional acquirers meetings and has authored articles and a white paper on the topic. In a break-out session at last weeks’ RetailNOW event, an industry conference sponsored by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), Street Savings COO Pal Flagg presented on the topic “Rewards, Rules, and Risks of Mobile Marketing.” Flagg informed the audience that short code programs would begin being audited on August 1 by WMC. “It’s vital for all parties involved with mobile marketing programs to understand the importance of partnering with compliant text message companies” said Flagg. “The rules are designed to protect consumers and ensure that mobile marketing campaigns work as they should and deliver value for resellers, merchants, and consumers.” Street Savings released a white paper, “Text Message Mobile Marketing: Risks for Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), Agents, and SMBs Involved with Non-Compliant Programs,” in October 2010, which can be found at http://www.streetsavings.com/pdfs/SS-Risks-White-Paper-10012010.pdfMore information on the compliance initiative can be found in the CTIA Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Playbook at http://www.wmcglobal.com/images/CTIA_playbook.pdfMore information on the Mobile Marketing Association’s U.S. Consumer Best Practices can be found athttp://www.mmaglobal.com/bestpractices.pdf About Street Savings Street Savings provides mobile marketing solutions that increase revenue for merchants, acquiring banks and independent sales organizations by easily and cost effectively mobilizing their gift and loyalty programs. The company’s Mobile Rewards and Mobile Coupons products utilize mobile text messaging in coordination with existing payment networks, credit card terminals, and Point of Sale (POS) systems to enable merchants to market directly to customers’ mobile devices. Businesses of any size and number of locations can quickly and proactively create individualized text marketing campaigns that build brand loyalty and increase sales. For more information, visit www.streetsavings.com.