Ofcom's advice on your next step

Problems with your mobile phone -
Charging for ringtone or text message subscriptions

Many people love new ringtones. Text message services are also very popular, and are used by millions of mobile phone customers every day.

However, ringtones and messaging services can be quite expensive if used regularly. Some of these services are sold on a subscription basis, with new ringtones or text messages provided at regular intervals in return for repeated payments on the customer’s bill.

Companies offering these subscription services must make it clear to their customers that in buying a ringtone or requesting a text message, they are agreeing to pay regular charges on their bills until the customer tells the company to stop. The company also has to make it clear how much these services will cost, and what the customer should do to stop the service. If a company doesn’t do this, it has broken important consumer protection rules.

If you are being charged for ringtones or text messages you don’t want, the first thing to try is to send a “stop” text message to the company that provides you with those services. The company should have told you how to do this when you signed up.