PSA

The PSA is extending the implementation period

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Following publication of the PSA’s Statement on introducing new Special conditions for all subscription services, and the new Special conditions for Recurring Donation services, the PSA held an implementation workshop for industry members working in the charity space to raise any implementation-specific queries, ahead of the regulatory changes coming into force on 1 November 2019.

At the workshop it was identified that some charity print and broadcast advertisements that have already been produced for upcoming campaigns may not be compliant with the updated Special conditions for Recurring Donation services.

Following consideration of this issue, the PSA is extending the implementation date for Special conditions RDS6(d) and RDS7(c) for specific providers, which will now come into force on 6 January 2020. The PSA considers that this will enable those providing recurring donation services who intend to use the two-stage Mobile Originating Short Message Service to obtain consumer consent to charge, sufficient time to make the necessary changes to their television and print advertisements to ensure compliance with the new Special conditions. This represents an approximately nine-week extension to the previous implementation date of 1 November 2019.

Full details can be found from PSA

PSA adopts new Case Prioritisation Principles

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) has established a Case Prioritisation Policy and Principles, in order to best focus its resources and efforts in enforcement cases.

“We need to make decisions about the best use of our resources in order to deliver the best outcomes for consumers. This involves making appropriate decisions about which cases to pursue through formal procedures, and which of those cases to prioritise.”

These Principles are outcomes-focussed and aim to ensure that their resources and enforcement approach is targeted to have the greatest regulatory effect.

You can find out more about what this involves by reading the full Principles

PSA consultation on revised Special conditions for ICSS

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

PSA proposes extension of regulatory requirements to all call connection services and strengthens requirements

The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) has opened a consultation on revised Special conditions for ICSS – third-party services that connect or signpost callers to popular helplines via a premium-rate number.

The proposals are intended to improve the information about these services that is given to consumers, both in search results and on service websites, to make it clearer that they are third parties and that calls via an ICSS may be more expensive than calling the desired number directly.

These proposals follow changes in January 2019 to extend the scope of Ofcom’s Premium Rate Service Condition to include all ICSS within the definition of controlled premium rate services. This extended PSA regulation to all ICSS irrespective of the number range they are operating on. This consultation proposes that the PSA’s Special conditions for ICSS should apply to all ICSS, regardless of number range.

The consultation is open until 10th June 2019. Respondents are advised to use the new PSA consultations response form, available from the PSA website.

REMINDER: PSA Consultation – Guidance on the retention of data

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

The PSA have put forward proposals to clarify expectations on how long providers retain data, in the event of an investigation where such data will be required. The PSA are now consulting on Guidance which sets out new expectations for the retention of data relevant to their investigatory processes, and are calling for responses.

The full consultation details can be found here.

We would like to invite members to provide their feedback to aimm in order for us to prepare a response. This will be in the form of calls, or where appropriate, conference calls, over the next few weeks.

Please let the aimm Executive know if you would like to contribute by Wednesday 20th February.

Two new special conditions for Directory Enquiries services

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Today PSA are publishing their final statement on their DQ review which sets out two new special conditions on pricing transparency at onward call connection and IVR promotions on inactive geographic numbers.  The statement and responses to the consultation can be found at this link.  Their notice can be found here.