OFCOM's new premium rate regulations

One of many sources:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/a89678/ofcom-reveals-tough-premium-rate-rules.html


Main changes are random spot checks and broadcasters being "directly responsible" - though surely if they weren't directly responsible beforehand OFCOM can't justify the fines they've handed out.


An independent third party must verify systems used in voting and competitions, while PhonePayPlus (how on earth could they find a name more stupid than ICSTIS?) will now require all firms providing premium services to be approved beforehand.

OFCOM are also considering whether programmes using such services should be considered advertorial rather than editorial - though IMO that's a non-starter. Shows like Dancing on Ice and Strictly Come Dancing are programmes, not teleshopping - though I guess the argument holds more firmly with quiz TV channels and strands.


ITV have rejected most of the proposals, while Five also disagree with broadcasters being "directly responsible", especially as they, along with C4, rely solely on independent producers.


So it's only took OFCOM a year to get some sort of framework in place - though I don't think it does anything to resolve the issues of viewers confidence. There seems to be no sign of some kind of kitemark and common code of practice, which is what most people called for.


It's good to see though PhonePayPlus haven't singled out TV for requiring premium rate lines to be approved, though whether they will in practice remains to be seen. Does it mean every single competition needs to be approved, or could one company get approval for one service and then run as many more as it likes?

PhonePayPlus sounds more like a company operating a rip off phone line, rather than a regulator! What's wrong with it just being Ofcom, or does it create jobs and busy work if they spin off a whole new department??

Just do your damn job and regulate .

PhonePayPlus is the new name for the premium rate phone regulator ICSTIS, which is and always has been a different organisation to OFCOM

You're right though, it is a stupid name

Good to see that 0870 and 0871 numbers have now been handed over to PhonePayPlus/ICSTIS and officially re-designated as premium rate.

A great pity that OFCOM are still dithering over whether to do the same to 0844 and 0845, which are now considerably more expensive than 01, 02 and 03 numbers.

Oh I see, it wasn't very clear, what with seeming entirely pointless and all.

I thought the intention was for ALL non-premium rate (ie free, local and national rate - 080, 084 and 087) were to transfer to 03 numbers to avoid confusion. This would leave ALL 08 and 09 numbers as premium rate.

All they've done now is make the situation even more confusing.

IIRC The intention was to brand 08/7 as a "cheap premium" and then have "geographically null" (i.e. ones they can move around but then cost the same as 01/02 calls) lines on another one. I'm thinking this was 03 as many adverts now say "includes calls to 01 02 and 03 numbers."

Not really, we know know that if it begins with a 3 it's cheap, if it begins with a 8 it's expensive.

Give it a few years and if a company hasn't changed from an 0870 to an 03 you know where thir priorities are!

As I understand it, 03 and 04 are reserved. Perhaps Nick could enlighten us to this matter.

03 and 04 are currently reserved though the 03 range will probably be used for the replacement of current 087x numbers - its classed as "Nationwide non-geographic code, charged to caller at geographic area code rates". The benefit should be that 03xx numbers can be included as part of telephone tarriff packages - at the moment this is not the case with 087x numbers as they're standard national rate at up to 10p a minute.

Originally:

Area code prefix Service type
00 International dialling
01 Geographic area codes
02 New geographic area codes
03 Geographic area code expansion
05 Corporate numbering
07 Mobile phones, pagers and personal numbering
08 Freephone and shared cost
09 Premium rate, similar to US 1 900 number range

This changed again in 2000 when the 02 range became assigned to London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Coventry, Cardiff and Belfast.

Creating numbers beginning 06, to replace 070 numbers - sometimes confused with mobiles - is also being considered.

At the moment, companies such as Patientline use 070 numbers. There is no cap on caller charges.

Ofcom wants 070 and 06 numbers to have a price cap, and 07 numbers to be used exclusively for mobile phones.

Under plans, rates charged to people calling 08 phone lines would be made clearer by linking the cost of the call to the third digit. Numbers starting 080 would be free, while 082 would be cheaper than 089.

01632 will probably continue to be the official fiction code for people who have nothing better to do than phone the numbers that appear on their TV screen expecting to talk to Inspector Morse.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/ioi/numbers/num_drama

03 numbers are non-geographic, but it is illegal to charge more than the same charge as to 01 and 02 numbers; and also illegal not to include 03 numbers in the same free call packages as 01 (not including Channel Islands) and 02 numbers.

03 numbers are already in use by OFCOM themselves (0300 123 xxxx) and the NHS (0300 111 xxxx) amongst others.