Contents 
1.
Introduction
2.
Key Findings
Main findings
3.
Awareness of PRS
4.
Calling PRS numbers
5.
Cost of calling PRS
6.
Annex - A (questionnaire)
7. Qualitative Report
1. Introduction
Background
1.1 Premium Rate
Services (PRS) is a highly dynamic and an innovative market. The characteristics
of PRS are no longer distinctive to the entertainment and information
service traditionally associated with PRS.
1.2 Oftel is currently
reviewing the allocation of content and non-content services on 09 (PRS)
and 08 (Special Services, such as freephone, national rate or local
rate) number ranges.
1.3 The 090 code
currently provides content services such as competition and voting lines,
information or entertainment services, chatlines and adult services.
1.4 The 0909 numbers
are currently allocated to adult services and 09059 are allocated to
chatlines – in order to distinguish them from other content services.
1.5 091 numbers
have been allocated for non-content services – currently used for direct
dialling to International numbers, however there are very few 091 numbers
in use.
1.6 The 09 number
range is charged between 10p per minute to £1.50 per minute or fixed
single charge amounts when calling from any phone (fixed or mobile).
Costs vary according to the operator/supplier being used to make the
call and the type of service being called. There is also industry pressure
to make numbers available for services at higher rates (ie, up to £5
per minute).
1.7 08 numbers are
mainly Special Services (SS) such as freephone/ no charge to caller
(0800), local rate/up to 5p per minute (0845) or national rate/up to
10p per minute (0870). However, some PRS services are currently available
on 08 numbers and charged at less than 10p per minute.
1.8 The current
distinction between 09 and 08 numbers is cost – 09 charged at over 10p
per minute and 08 charged at less than10p per minute. Content is not
currently a distinguishing factor and only becomes a factor when comparing
090 (content) and 091 (non-content).
Objectives
1.9 This research
was conducted by IPSOS-RSL on behalf of Oftel to examine consumer perceptions
of premium rate numbers. It supplements qualitative research (attached),
the purpose of which is to give a better understanding on customer awareness
on content and non-content services, cost of calls to such services,
and whether the cost affects their decision to call these numbers.
1.10 This survey
was part of a national Omnibus, carried out in May 2002. It was conducted
using a sample of 894 GB adults aged 15+ with fixed line or mobile phone.
The results are subject to an error margin of 2-4% (The error margin
for this total sample of 894 consumers is about 2-4%, but is higher
amongst smaller subgroups. Results referred to as 'significantly' different,
have been tested at the 95% level of confidence and hence are outside
of the error margins and therefore can be considered real changes.).
This report has been prepared by Oftel (The report should not be seen
as recommended best buys and should not therefore be relied upon when
making purchase decisions. Oftel has conducted its own checks on the
data in this report and whilst we consider it to be correct, Oftel accepts
no liability in respect of any of the results provided to it by Ipsos-RSL
or any decisions taken by any person in reliance on the report.) based
on the results provided by IPSOS-RSL.
1.11 This report
covers:
- Awareness
of PRS numbers amongst consumers
- Awareness of
cost of calling these numbers
- Factors affecting
awareness
- Type of PRS numbers
called by consumers
1.12 A copy of the
questionnaire is attached in Annex A
2. Summary
Around a third
of fixed phone customers recognise 09 numbers as premium rate
2.1 A third (31%)
of fixed line customers are aware of the cost of calling 09 numbers
- 25% said it was a premium rate number and a further 6% said it was
expensive.
2.2 There is greater
awareness of the correct cost of 0800 (77% knew it was free) than for
09 numbers – around half as many (40%) are aware that 090 is charged
between 10p-£1.50. Awareness of the correct cost of 09 numbers was higher
than for local and national rate numbers, although this is probably
due to the more diverse range of 09 charges.
2.3 Callers of PRS
numbers are significantly more aware than average (38%) that 09 numbers
are premium rate services or expensive. The qualitative survey suggests
that consumers base their cost estimates on the context and content
of the service rather than the code.
2.4 On average most
consumers are aware that calls to each code costs more from mobiles
than fixed lines. And the estimated cost for 09 codes in particular
(68p from mobile and 63p from fixed) is consistent with the recent qualitative
survey which estimated the cost of calls to PRS from a fixed line to
be in the region of 50p-60p.
Consumers
don’t associate the 09 code with specific content
2.5 There is lower
awareness of the content on 09 numbers compared to the cost - 5% in
total spontaneously associated 09 numbers with specific content. This
perhaps reflects the diverse range of services available or suggests
this aspect is not widely understood by fixed line customers. 3% mentioned
09 were competition lines and 1% each said adult services and chat lines.
Information services and voting lines were each mentioned by less than
1% of fixed line customers. Half of fixed line customers did not know
anything about 09 numbers.
About
half of fixed phone customers claim to have called a PRS number – highest
amongst younger customers
2.6 Half of fixed
line customers claim to have called a PRS number. The most popular services
called are competition lines and voting lines. 16% of mobile customers
claim to have called a PRS number - information services were most popular.
Calls to PRS numbers were most popular amongst younger consumers (c.
3 in 5 15-34 year olds had called PRS numbers).
Main findings
3. Perceptions
of the 09 code
3.1 Around a third
(31%) of fixed line customers recognised 09 as a premium rate service
or an expensive type of call as shown in figure 3a. Fewer were aware
of the content on 09 numbers, 3% mentioned 09 numbers were competition
lines and 1% each said adult services and chat lines. Information services
and voting lines were each mentioned by less than 1% of fixed line customers.
This equates to 5% of fixed line customers aware of some content aspect
of PRS.
Base: GB fixed line customers, May '02
(Base: 894)
3.2 The qualitative
research confirms that although some people are aware of 09 codes being
expensive most are unclear about the services provided - it is seen
more as cost related rather than content e.g. competition or voting
lines. The research mentions that while people do call these types of
PRS numbers they do not remember the numbers and are unclear whether
they called 08 or 09. This may explain why consumers do not seem to
automatically associate the 09 prefix with these types of services.
3.3 Awareness of
09 numbers as premium rate was highest amongst 15-34 years olds, men,
and higher income groups, as shown in figure 3b. Awareness was also
higher amongst fixed line customers with a mobile than those without.
In the qualitative research, 09 codes were readily recognised by teenagers
who used 09 prefix numbers to download ring tones or graphics for their
mobile phones.
Figure 3b: % of GB customers aware
that the 09 code is for a premium rate service
Base: GB fixed line customers, May '02
(Base: 894)
3.4 Awareness that
09 numbers were high cost (premium rate or expensive) was also significantly
higher than average amongst those consumers who have ever called a PRS
number (38% aware).
4.
Calls to PRS numbers
4.1 Half of all
fixed line customers (49%) claim to have ever called a PRS number from
their fixed line, the most popular being competition lines (33%) and
voting lines such as big brother, pop idol and who wants to be a millionaire
(29%). Fewer had called information services, chat lines or adult services,
shown in figure 4a.
4.2 In comparison,
16% mobile customers claimed to have called a PRS number from their
mobile, the most popular call was to information services (9%).
4.3 The qualitative
study into consumer behaviour and attitudes relating to PRS also showed
that the most popular PRS calls were to TV voting and competition lines.
Consumers feel they provide excitement and a chance to get involved
and / or to win a prize, which they feel justifies the cost of the call.
4.4 Consistent with
knowledge about 09 numbers, the highest proportion of customers calling
PRS numbers, from either fixed line or mobile phones, also fall within
the younger age brackets as shown in figure 4b. Higher social grades
are amongst those most likely to have called an information service
from either a fixed line or mobile phone. However, generally there is
little difference between gender, social grade or income amongst those
calling any PRS from either landlines or mobile phones.
5. Awareness of the cost of calling 09 numbers
5.1 The 09 number
range is charged between 10p to £1.50 per minute from either a fixed
line or mobile phone. 40% of fixed line customers are aware that the
average cost per minute to PRS from a fixed line is over 10p, and this
awareness was similar amongst mobile customers (43%) when asked about
calling PRS from a mobile, as shown in figure 5a. Awareness is higher
amongst younger age groups and in higher income groups.
5.2 Just over half
of consumers said they didn’t know the average cost of calling 09 numbers
from either landlines or mobiles.
5.3 Comparing awareness
of the average per minute cost of calling 09 numbers with other special
service numbers, such as 0800, 0845, 0870, 077/078/079, mobile numbers
and information services from fixed lines, there was a relatively high
awareness of the cost of calling 0800 numbers. Three quarters (77%)
of the fixed line customers were aware these are free.
5.4 In comparison
to 0800 numbers, awareness for 0845 (local rate) was low. 22% were aware
the cost was 1p-5p per minute, and fewer still were aware 0870 (national
rate) numbers were 1p-10p (15%), shown in figure 5b. The results tally
with the qualitative research, which showed that the awareness of the
exact cost of calling 0845 and 0870 is unclear compared to 0800 numbers.
Awareness of the correct costs of calling 09 numbers was higher than
for 0845 and 0870. This is perhaps a reflection of the wide spread of
09 costs, and the fact that consumers were not asked for the exact range,
but rather any amount mentioned within the correct range was coded as
correct.
5.5 As shown in
figure 5c, estimates of costs from mobile phones were higher in all
instances than from fixed phones.
5.6 09 numbers are
estimated to be the most expensive average per minute cost, 63p amongst
fixed line customers and 68p amongst mobile customers, when calling
from landlines and mobiles respectively. Information services whilst
not quite so high in comparison are estimated to cost more than other
numbers (42p from fixed line and 47p from mobile phone). Although consumers
do not automatically associate 09 numbers with information and content
services, they do expect these types of calls to be more expensive.
 Base:
GB customers with fixed l
note:
on-net - calls to mobiles on the same network, off-net - calls to mobiles
on different network
5.7 Over half of
the mobile customers (54%) did not know the cost of calling information
lines and 09 numbers (53%).
5.8 Whilst awareness
of the exact cost to call 0845 and 0870 numbers is low in comparison
to 0800 numbers, as discussed earlier, consumers seem to be aware that
0870 are more expensive than 0845 numbers. This is also reflected within
the qualitative research.
Annex - A
QUESTIONS FOR
OMNIBUS - PRS
ASK ALL WITH FIXED
LINE PHONE
Q1. Do you currently
receive an itemised phone bill showing all of your outgoing calls from
your fixed line phone? SINGLE CODE
Yes
No
Don’t know/no
answer
ASK IF RECEIVE ITEMISED
FIXED LINE BILL (Yes at Q1)
Q2.Which of the
following best describes when you would check the individual calls listed
on your fixed line phone bill? SHOWCARD, MULTICODE
I always check my
phone bill
I check my
phone bill if it is higher than usual
I check my
phone bill if I have made any long distance/International calls
I check my
phone bill if I have called any expensive/premium rate numbers
I never check
my phone bill
Other
Don’t know/no
answer
ASK ALL WITH FIXED
LINE PHONE
Q3. What sort of
phone number do you think begins 09?
ASK ALL WITH FIXED
LINE PHONE
Q4. On average how
much do you think it costs per minute to call the following numbers
from your fixed line phone? PROMPT IF NECESSARY, SINGLE CODE FOR EACH
a) 0800
b) 0845
c) 0870
d) 09
e) 077/078
or 079
f) mobile
g) information
services (such as weather, sport or traffic updates)
Free
1p-5p
6p-10p
11p-25p
26p-50p
51p-£1
Over £1
Don’t know/no
answer
ASK ALL WITH A MOBILE
Q5. On average how
much do you think it costs per minute to call the following numbers
from your mobile phone? PROMPT IF NECESSARY, SINGLE CODE FOR EACH
a) 0800
b) 0845
c) 0870
d) 09
e) Mobiles
on the same network
f) Mobiles
on a different network
g) Fixed line
phones
h) Information
services (such as weather, sport or traffic updates)
Free
1p-5p
6p-10p
11p-25p
26p-50p
51p-£1
Over £1
Don’t know/no
answer
ASK ALL WITH A FIXED
LINE PHONE
Q6. Which of the
following have you ever called from your fixed line phone? SHOW CARD,
MULTICODE (Yes, no, don’t know for each part)
Competition line
Voting line
(such as ‘Big Brother’, ‘Pop Idol ‘or ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’)
Information
services (such as weather, sport or traffic updates)
Chat line
Adult services
ASK ALL WITH A MOBILE
PHONE
Q7. Which of the
following have you ever called from your mobile phone? SHOW CARD, MULTICODE
(Yes, no, don’t know for each part)
Competition line
Voting line
(such as ‘Big Brother’, ‘Pop Idol ‘or ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’)
Information
services (such as weather, sport or traffic updates)
Chat line
Adult services
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