premium rate services

Ofcom Premium Rate Service Checker is live

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

 

Ofcom have announced that their Premium Rate Service (PRS) checker site is now live and available for consumers to use.

This is in replacement of the PSA Service Checker that had been available as a consumer resource until the end of last year. You can now direct consumers to the site using the button below.

If a consumer has an unexpected charge on their phone bill and want to find out what it is for, they should contact their phone service provider (mobile network)  in the first instance for more information.

 

 

 

Further information about learning more about unexpected charges on phone bills can be found on aimm’s consumer facing site PhoneCharges.org

 

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-premium-rate-services/premium-rate-service-checker

The future of phone-paid services

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

 

The Phone-paid Services Authority, the organisation which regulates premium rate services, and Ofcom have announced today that regulatory responsibility will transfer to Ofcom in late 2023, subject to further DCMS approval. From that point, the PSA would cease to operate as an independent body.

This proposed transfer of regulatory responsibilities has been approved by the Ofcom board.

For full details of the story please visit the PSA website: The Future of Phonepaid services

New PhonepayPlus Adjudication Panel & 14th Code

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Today PhonepayPlus has announced the new members of their Adjudication Panel.

The new panel, which comprises legally qualified and lay members, will replace the current Code Compliance Panel and make rulings independently of the PhonepayPlus executive.

The legally qualified members of the CAP are Julian Weinberg, Robin Callender Smith and Linda Lee. The lay members, who have been chosen for their experience in an adjudicatory capacity and in dealing with complex factual situations will be, Andrew Ellam, Tony Moss, Dame Elizabeth Neville, Elisabeth Ribbans, Ian Walden, Peter Wrench and Martin Wrigley. The members of the new panel have a variety of expertise across areas including: law, technology, operations, business, consumer matters and media, and include: a former President of the Law Society, a former Police Chief Constable, a Professor of Information and Communications Law and a former Managing Editor of The Guardian.

The new 14th Code of Practise comes into force on the 12th July.

Read more here about the latest adjudication: http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/for-business/tribunal-adjudications/latest-tribunal-adjudications

 

New PhonepayPlus Guidance on Vulnerability

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Today PhonepayPlus launch their new Vulnerability guidance to help PRS providers avoid consumer harm before launching and while running a service. They designed this guidance to help you take steps in making sure your premium rate service stays compliant with the Code of Practice and maintains the reputation of the PRS industry. PPP have developed the guidance in collaboration with industry members, consumer groups and digital content providers.

To read the guidance please visit: Vulnerability Guidance