Prior permission
Certain types of premium phone-paid services pose a greater risk of harm to users because of their content - examples include live chat, gambling and counselling. These types of services, and others listed below, can only be operated if PhonepayPlus has first provided written prior permission.
If the type of service you wish to operate is one of those listed, please read all the information on this page and on the relevant link. If you're planning to operate a service that involves live conversation (for example, a customer helpline) first check here, as your service may be exempt from requiring prior permission.
If you then want to proceed with an application, contact our Industry Support Team on 0845 026 1060* or email compliance@phonepayplus.org.uk. Remember to quote the SPN number you received when you registered as a Service Provider.
The Process
Applying for prior permission costs £300 plus VAT. This charge covers the staff and Board costs of administrating the procedure. It is payable whether or not the application is successful.
You will be asked to provide details of how you intend to operate your service and for examples of how your service will be promoted - print or tv adverts, web pages, etc. You may also have to provide evidence of professional qualifications.
Our Code Compliance Panel will then review the application and decide whether permission should be granted and whether any special conditions should be applied to your service. If your application is successful you will be sent a permission certificate. Your network operator will need to see this certificate before activating your premium rate numbers.
Most applications take between four and eight weeks to process, although for some types of service, such as live entertainment, counseling and consumer credit, it may be longer. If we need further information from you at any point this may extend the processing time.
For further information see our helpnote for service providers requiring prior permission.
Services requiring Prior Permission
All these types of phone-paid services required prior permission to operate. Where relevant click for further information.
Services carrying a subscription charge and/or joining fee which costs a consumer more than £4.50 in any seven day period of their operation.
(22 January 2009)
Services which charge per page or image viewed
(22 January 2009)
Live services
Live entertainment services, such as adult chat, psychic or tarot readings, can only be operated if a bond is provided by your bank. The amount of the bond is determined by several factors, for further information please call 0845 026 1060.
You'll also be required to record all calls using PhonepayPlus-approved recording equipment. For more information, view the recording equipment requirements and a list of approved suppliers.
Participation in television broadcasting
Click here to view the
notice on prior permissions in television broadcasting
Remote gambling
Applicants wishing to offer remote gambling services should note that a spend limit of £30 in any 24 hour period, will be imposed on the certificate. In addition the following must be supplied.
- Evidence of a relevant gambling license covering the service
- Details of the age verification process that the service will utilise
- Copies of all promotional material
For further information you may wish to
contact the Gambling Commision
Professional advice
Click here to
view the fact sheet on Legal Advice Sevices
Chatlines (multi-party chat)
Multi-party chat services can only be operated if a non-refundable payment of £25000 is made to the relevant compensation fund and a bond provided by your bank for a similar amount. For further information please call 0845 026 1060.
Consumer credit
Click here to
view the fact sheet on Consumer Credit Services
Counselling
Click here to
view the fact sheet on Live Counselling Services
Anonymous SMS
Click here to
view the notice on anonymous SMS services
Voice-based virtual chat or voice-based sexual entertainment
- (live or recorded) charged for using one or more reverse-billed SMS messages. Click here to view the notice on voice-based, text-charged services
Call quiz tv
Call quiz TV sevrices only apply to broadcast output (i.e.programmes, channels and teleshopping) on television where:
- The primary function and content of the entire output is participation in competitions by viewers.
- Viewers are invited to call or text a premium rate number to give their answer (normally either by being connected to the presenter or via a call back).
- If viewers are not selected initially, they are informed accordingly and have the opportunity to make repeat attempts.
Click here to view the review on call tv quiz services
Click here to download the prior permission form for call tv quiz services
Services utilising a dialler software
Any service using dialler software,
regardless of the type of telephone number used, requires prior permission. There are a number of specific conditions, including a requirement on your network to retain up to £200000 of your revenue for a specific period, which will be imposed. For further information please call 0845 026 1060
*(Calls provided by BT will be charged at up to 4 pence per minute at all times. A set-up fee of up to 6 pence per call applies to calls from residential lines. Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.)
Live services – list of current exemptions from prior permission
Version 2: October 2007
Introduction
Paragraph 6.1.1 of the 11th Edition of the PhonepayPlus Code of Practice states that:
“No live services may be provided without prior permission from PhonepayPlus, save that PhonepayPlus may identify categories of live services which are exempt from the prior permission requirement. Such exemptions may be withdrawn or modified by PhonepayPlus at any time on reasonable notice and a list of exempt categories will be published by PhonepayPlus from time to time.”
Service providers are hereby given notice that the categories of live service listed below are exempt from the requirement for prior permission, unless they are charged at more than £1 per minute where the total cost of the call can exceed £30:
- live customer support services
- live directory enquiry (DQ) services
- live data capture services – these are services that take callers’ details so that a service or product can be provided following the premium rate call
- connection services for live conversation for UK end destinations only – these services include services enabling ‘cheap’ (typically 10ppm up to 60ppm) calls to hospitalised relatives and friends
- live classified advertisement services – these services usually take the form of data capture services
- live alarm services – these services usually involve calls being made to the police at a premium rate by alarm monitoring centres following receipt of notification that alarms have been activated
- live betting tipster services
- live advice services using non-087X numbers – these exclude ‘professional’ services such as those providing legal or medical advice, or services providing any type of counselling
- live advice (including advice on consumer credit) and counselling services using 087X numbers
- business conference services – these are services in which two or more persons
are enabled to simultaneously conduct a telephone conversation with each other where that conversation is chaired by a designated individual and is in furtherance of an existing or forthcoming business relationship.
Providers of live services that fall into the categories set out above must still inform PhonepayPlus in advance of the services they intend to operate, the fact that they are considered exempt and the number ranges on which they operate. This can be done using the online registration forms available on the PhonepayPlus website. If you are unsure as to whether your service requires permission or not, you are strongly urged to contact the PhonepayPlus Executive.
Contacting the PhonepayPlus Industry Support & Policy Team
PhonepayPlus Tel: 0845 026 1060
Clove Building Fax: 0845 026 1061
Address: Clove Building, 4 Maguire Street, London SE1 2NQ
E-mail: compliance@phonepayplus.org.uk
Website: www.phonepayplus.org.uk