Mobile Operators Association

The Mobile Operators Association is a trade body for mobile telephone operators in the UK. It has been involved in aggressive lobbying against proposals which would make obtaining planning permission for mobile phone masts more difficult.

The MOA is sponsoring a fringe talk at the Labour Party conference 2004 called "Listening to the public: does community consultation improve the planning process?". The talk is organized by the Social Market Foundation, and the panel includes Alun Michael MP, Minister for the Environment.

The Mobile Operators Association sponsored a similar talk on planning regulations at the 2003 Labour Party conference, which Alun Michael also took part in.

According to a July 2004 article in The Daily Mail, the MOA is opposing a proposal by a House of Commons Committee which would require mobile operators to obtain planning permission for all new mobile masts, and would give parents a veto over siting. It quotes MOA Executive Director Mike Dolan saying "This would hold up the next generation of mobile networks to the detriment of businesses and communities." .

Staff
Taken partly from the Mobile Operators Association website :


 * Mike Dolan - Executive Director
 * Christine Jude - Chief Press Officer
 * Stuart Eke - Public Affairs Manager
 * Nicola Davies - Council Liaison Manager
 * Alec Alden - Senior Advisor
 * Vivien Jarvis - Administrative Assistant

History
A 2002 press release from The Society for Radiological Protection suggests that at that time, the Mobile Operators Association was operating as the Mobile Telecoms Advisory Group (MTAG), a special interest group within the Federation of the Electronics Industry (FEI). Mike Dolan is quoted as its Director, and Christine Jude as its Chief Press Officer. Both now hold equivalent positions within the MOA. Also, the web address the press release gives for MTAG is identical to the current one for the MOA.

Related SourceWatch pages

 * Labour Party conference
 * Social Market Foundation