Which numbers are 'premium rate'?

Ian011

All numbers starting 070, 084, 087, 09 and 118 are premium rate. The call cost includes an extra amount paid to the benefit of the called party and their telecoms provider. For those ranges (except 070) the premium is declared as the Service Charge. Most mobile shortcodes also fall within this definition.

Numbers starting 070 with a termination fee of more than 10p per minute, as well as any numbers starting 087, 09 or 118 with a Service Charge of more than 7p per minute or per call, along with all chatlines and adult entertainment services irrespective of call cost are defined as Controlled Premium Rate Services and subject to additional PhonepayPlus regulation. Most mobile shortcodes are also subject to this regulation.

This dispels the myth that only 09 numbers are premium rate.

Heinz

It's semantics really.

Your interpretation describes what most of us would call premium rate (lower case) but, officially, only 09 numbers are Premium Rate.

Ian011

Heinz wrote: »

It's semantics really.

Your interpretation describes what most of us would call premium rate (lower case) but, officially, only 09 numbers are Premium Rate.

In the lead up to the implementation of 'Clear Call Rates for Everyone', Ofcom tweaked the definitions surrounding premium rate services to lend additional clarity to the situation, and especially to dispel the myth that only 09 numbers are 'premium rate'.

There are now two important definitions: 'Premium Rate Service' and 'Controlled Premium Rate Service'.

All 070, 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers are premium rate, as are many mobile shortcodes. For those ranges with 'unbundled' call pricing (084, 087, 09, 118) the premium is now declared as the Service Charge.

A service is deemed to be a Controlled Premium Rate Service, and therefore subject to additional PhonepayPlus regulation, if any one or more of the following are true:

• is a chatline (irrespective of call cost or prefix used)
• is an adult entertainment service (irrespective of call cost or prefix used)
• is internet dialler software operated (irrespective of call cost or prefix used)
• the number starts 087 and has a Service Charge of more than 7p per minute or per call
• the number starts 090, 091 or 098 and has a Service Charge of more than 7p per minute or per call
• the number starts 118 and has a Service Charge of more than 7p per minute or per call
• it has an enhanced termination fee that is more than 10p per minute, including VAT (i.e. many of the mobile shortcodes and some of the numbers starting 055, 070 and 076).

Any number with a Service Charge of 7p per minute or per call or less is still a Premium Rate Service but escapes PhonepayPlus regulation unless used for a chatline, adult entertainment service or internet-dialler provided service.

A number starting 0906 522 is a Premium Rate Service. As the Service Charge is only 5p per minute, it's not a Controlled Premium Rate Service (unless it is a chatline, adult entertainment service or internet-dialled operated service).

A number starting 0870 226 is a Controlled Premium Rate Service, and subject to PhonepayPlus regulation, because it has a 10p per minute Service Charge.

An 084 number with a 1p per minute Service Charge would also be a Controlled Premium Rate Service if it is the number for a chatline.

The gov.uk page you linked to is hopelessly out of date. It hasn't even been amended to reflect the fact that 084, 087, 09 and 118 call prices are split into an Access Charge and a Service Charge. Additionally, the range of call prices shown for calls to landline and mobile numbers does not accurately reflect the current market.

The National Numbering Plan http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/numbering/ no longer identifies premium rate services, merely any limits placed on call charges. The rest of the details are in the PRS Condition and elsewhere.