Communications Authority publishes ISP Code of Practice

A number of obligations that ISPs have to undertake to maintain a high standard of ethical and professional practice

By Kurt Sansone
The Malta Communications Authority has gone ahead with plans to publish a Code of Practice to protect Internet users after months of procrastination by Internet Service Providers to come up with their own draft.

On Monday the MCA published a code of practice on its web site and speaking to The Malta Financial and Business Times an MCA official said that ISPs should adopt the code without further delay.

The official added that ISPs should notify their subscribers of the Code, a copy of which should also be available on the respective provider web sites.

Last week this newspaper revealed that the MCA had initiated discussions with the ISP sub-section of the IT section in the Chamber of Commerce eight months ago in order for ISPs to come up with there own draft, but to no avail.

The Code of Practice published by the MCA outlines a number of obligations that ISPs have to undertake to maintain a high standard of ethical and professional practice.

The Code speaks about honesty in trading, standard of service, responsible trading, confidentiality, dispute resolution and other issues, which concern Internet users.

When asked the MCA official said that the even at this late stage the MCA is still open to receiving feedback from ISPs.

"The Authority will give consideration to any suggested modifications, however in the interest of the consumer, the published Code will have to be adopted prior to any changes being made," he said.

A copy of the Code can be downloaded from the Authority’s web site: http://www.mca.org.mt/