Statement published 20 October 2021
There are a range of interactive services that consumers can access via their landline and mobile phones, computers and digital TV.
Where these services are charged for via the customer’s telephone bill or pre-pay account, they are known as phone-paid services or premium rate services (PRS). They include charity donations by text, music streaming, entering broadcast competitions, voting on TV talent shows and in-app purchases.
Ofcom has overall responsibility to make sure that consumers are protected by ensuring appropriate rules are in place and enforced. To achieve this, we have designated the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) to carry out the day-to-day regulation of premium rate services.
The PSA regulates these services by way of a Code of Practice.
From time to time, the PSA revises its Code of Practice to ensure it continues to operate in consumers’ best interests and provides a fair and proportionate regulatory regime for industry. We have powers to approve the Code provided it meets certain legal tests.
Following consultation and consideration of responses received, this document sets out Ofcom’s decision to approve the PSA’s fifteenth Code of Practice. The Code will come into effect on 5 April 2022.
Update 20 July 2023 – Changes to Code 15 in relation to Information Connection and Signposting Services
We have approved changes to Requirement 3.2.10 and Annex 1: Specified service charges and durations of calls of the PSA's fifteenth Code of Practice. These measures are aimed at ensuring that, in relation to Information Connection and Signposting Services, consumers are aware of:
- the cost of onward connection and ancillary services (such as an information SMS);
- the maximum cost of a call;
- that the maximum cost of a call is capped at a reasonable level.
The PSA’s statement sets out the changes in full.
Update 25 April 2022 – Changes to Code 15
We have approved various minor changes to Requirement 3.13 of the PSA's fifteenth Code of Practice. The PSA's statement outlines these changes in detail.