Code of Practice for Premium Rate Services

What are Premium Rate Services? How do they work? How much do they actually cost? How do you stop them if you no longer want them? This code explains all. If you'd like a free copy, including in alternative formats, call us free on 333 from your Three mobile (if you're in the UK) or 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

The communications regulator, Ofcom, requires communications providers like Three to provide detailed information to its customers on specific types of services or calls. This includes Premium Rate Services. In short, this code is written for your protection.

You'll also find information on other services that we offer and details about how to get in touch in our main Code of Practice. Just visit three.co.uk (where you'll find a link to the code on our home page’s navigation bar) or call customer services for a copy.

Premium Rate Services (also known as PRS) are services that you use on your mobile where:

Premium Rate Services can be:

If you're using a messaging service, you may also be charged the standard rate for sending your message. Three's standard rates are 10.2p for Text Messages (SMS), 25.5p for Picture Messages (MMS) and 51.1p for Video Messages (also called MMS).

3 services are not Premium Rate Services

The services that 3 provide under 'Today on 3', 'Planet 3', 'Services', 'Internet Services' and 'Today on 3 Live' are not Premium Rate Services under these conditions.

When you call to use a Premium Rate Voice Service, in most cases:

If you are making a call to a premium rate number starting 09 (including calls to numbers which provide an adult entertainment service, starting 098, 0908 or 0909), the total cost of this call will be split into an Access Charge, set by us at 45p per minute (with a one minute minimum charge) (this covers our cost to pass your call on) and a Service Charge, set by the company you are calling. If the Service Charge is set at, or includes, a pence per minute rate, it must not exceed £3.60 per minute (inclusive of VAT). If the Service Charge is set exclusively at a pence per call rate, it must not cost more than £6.00 (inclusive of VAT).

Sometimes, the Service Provider will offer you other services and they may involve an additional charge. The Service Provider has to make you are aware of any extra charges.

Voice, video and messaging services using Shortcodes (four, five or six digits) are passed directly on to the Service Provider, who will provide you with the advertised service.

Where a charge is made for a Premium Rate Service on a Shortcode number, we share the revenue with the Service Provider directly. That's how the Service Provider and the person who provides the information contained in the service (Information Provider) receives payment for the service that you've used.

In the UK, these services are regulated by Phone-Paid Services Authority. Phone-Paid Services Authority produces a code that providers of Premium Rate Services and telephone networks must stick to. In particular, the code sets out strict guidelines for the way providers of premium rate services advertise and operate their services.

How can Phone-Paid Services Authority help me with a complaint?

Phone-Paid Services Authority will deal with complaints about:

Phone-Paid Services Authority can't deal with complaints about why companies use premium rate numbers as opposed to other numbers or the revenue share arrangements between telephone companies and Service Providers.

Unless they refer or link callers to premium rate numbers, Phone-Paid Services Authoritydoes not regulate services available on:

Additionally, if the Premium Rate Service is offered on a subscription basis, the provide must also state that you will have to pay repeat charges.

You may also find the following information on costs helpful.

09 voice calls The cost of these calls, from 1 July 2015, are split into two elements; Three’s Access Charge of 45p per minute (with a minimum charge of 1 minute) and a Service Charge, set by the company you’re calling. To find out the cost of a specific voice call to a 09 number on our network, just check out our online price guide or check our Special number lookup tool at Three.co.uk/nts. You can get further information on specific numbers by calling Three customer services on 333. These calls are free if you call from within the UK on your Three mobile. Or call 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

Text Shortcodes You can find out the cost of sending a text to a Premium Rate Service Shortcode on our network by going to the Phone-Paid Services Authority website and entering the provider's number.

Or you can call Three customer services on 333 – free if you call from within the UK on your 3 mobile. Alternatively, dial 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

Some Shortcode Text services charge you for both sending the original text and for receiving subsequent texts as part of the service. Details of all charges must be clear in the advert for the service. Make sure you understand what the total cost of the service is before you use it.

You can find more information on Text Shortcode services at https://www.three.co.uk/support/bills-and-contracts/your-monthly-plan-and-usage/shortcodes

Voice and Video Shortcodes Like Text Shortcodes, you can find out the cost of dialling a Voice or Video Shortcode on our network by going to the Phone-Paid Services Authority website and entering the provider's number. Please note if using a Voice Shortcode, these are not split into an access charge and a service charge, unlike calls to numbers starting 09, and you’ll see a single charge for these on your bill.

Or you can call Three customer services on 333 – free if you call from within the UK on your Three mobile. Alternatively, dial 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies). You can find more information on Text Shortcode services at https://www.three.co.uk/support/bills-and-contracts/your-monthly-plan-and-usage/shortcodes

Make sure you read the advertising for all Premium Rate Services thoroughly and understand the total charges involved before you use the service. Premium Rate Services providers have to include pricing information and terms of use of their services in all advertising and promotional information.

If you've heard about a service from another person or received a message about a service and you're not aware of the cost or terms of use, then we strongly recommend that you do not use the service. Better safe than sorry.

Have you been charged more than you expected for a Premium Rate Service? Have you been charged when you don't believe you even used a Premium Rate Service? Do you feel that you've been misled about the cost or service? Here's what to do next.

1. Check out your rights. All Premium Rate Service providers must stick to the Phone-Paid Services Authority code when they advertise and operate their services. For more on this visit the Phone-Paid Services Authority website.

You may be able to bring a complaint against the Service Provider under the Phone-Paid Services Authority code (see the next section).

2. Ask us for help If in doubt, call us. We can help you understand your charges, which should help you work out whether you've been billed correctly. If we do find that you've been incorrectly charged, we can advise you on how to claim a refund from the Service Provider.

Call Three customer services on 333 – free if you call from within the UK on your 3 mobile. Or dial 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

3. Ask the Service Provider directly. You have every right to contact the Service Provider to ask them for more information on the Premium Rate Service that you've been charged for. To find out who the Service Provider is and how to contact them, go to the Phone-Paid Services Authority website and enter their number.

Making a complaint about a Service Provider. You should complain directly to Phone-Paid Services Authority.

But first check to make sure that your complaint is something that Phone-Paid Services Authority deals with (see the earlier section, entitled 'How can Phone-Paid Services Authority help me with a complaint?').

You'll find full details on how to make a complaint at the Phone-Paid Services Authority website.

Making a complaint about us. We hope this is never the case. Here's what to do:

Ombudsman Services: Communications is an independent approved dispute resolution service and aims to help resolve disputes between communications providers and their customers if they arise. The organisation is approved by the communications regulator Ofcom. You'll find more about Ombudsman Services: Communications online at http://www.ombudsman-services.org Or call 0330 440 1614.

Unfortunately, there are cases where service providers deliberately set out to defraud customers by encouraging them to call premium rate numbers or send premium rate text messages, these are known as 'scams'. So unless you know how much an 09 number or a Shortcode service costs upfront, we say never use that service.

If you think you might be the victim of a Premium Rate Service scam, get in touch and we’ll explain how you apply for a refund or complain to the Phone-Paid Services Authority. Call Three customer services on 333 – free if you call from within the UK on your Three mobile. Or dial 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

We can put a block on calls to all 09 numbers from your Three mobile. Call Three customer services on 333 – free if you call from within the UK on your Three mobile. Or dial 0333 300 3333 from any other phone (standard call rate applies).

Depending on your plan, you may be able to block any out of bundle spending, which would prevent access to premium rate services. You can check if his feature is available to you via your My 3 account. Alternatively, you can set you can contact us to request your credit limit is set to zero, which would prevent these services from being used. What we do, however, automatically – for everyone that hasn’t proved that they are over 18 – is stop any pictures or video content being sent to your mobile that’s classed as being 18 or over against the British Board of Film Classification framework. This includes premium rate adult visual content available through a Shortcode

You'll find details about this framework online at: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/how-does-classification-work/

A subscription is where you pay a regular charge (say £3 per week) for a Premium Rate Service that you’ve set up by sending a text to a Shortcode number. You should get a text confirming that you’ve set the service up and regular messages charging you for your subscription.

To cancel your subscription to a particular service, just text the word ‘STOP’ to the next message you receive from the Service Provider.

To cancel subscriptions to several services from one provider, just text the words ‘STOP ALL’ to the next message you receive.

If you receive marketing texts or calls after cancelling a subscription and would prefer not to, you should contact the Service Provider. Please see the next section.

From time to time you may receive calls or text messages from different companies promoting or trying to sell you services.

Sometimes the messages or calls are from Service Providers who you have previously bought things from (like mobile ringtones or wallpapers). If this is happening, you may have opted-in to receive marketing information as part of the sales process. If you would like to opt-out and stop receiving these calls or messages, just contact the Service Provider directly and asked to be removed from their marketing list.

To find out who the Service Provider is and how to contact them, go to the Phone-Paid Services Authority website and enter their number.

All marketing messages from Shortcode services must state that they are free to the receiver with the word 'FreeMsg'. You can stop future marketing by sending the word 'STOP' to that Shortcode number.

Sometimes the messages or calls are from Service Providers and companies who you have NEVER previously bought things from.

This is known as 'unsolicited marketing'. You have every right to ask the businesses to stop contacting you. You may also find that you receive calls where the phone rings but on answering there is no one there. These ‘silent calls’ are often generated by automatic dialling equipment (which dial several numbers in one go but there are not enough people to deal with the calls when connected).

If you are happy to receive telemarketing calls from some companies but not others, contact the companies who you do not wish to hear from and ask them to remove your details from their marketing lists.

A helpful suggestion to reduce marketing calls. You can reduce or eliminate the number of calls you receive by registering your telephone number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). All companies are obliged to check the TPS list before making marketing calls. So if you continue to be called after registering your number with the TPS, you can complain.

If you'd like to register your telephone number with the TPS or make a complaint, visit: tpsonline.org.uk/tps

Further information about the rules on marketing by telephone and SMS can be found on the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office. Visit ico.org.uk

We (at Hutchison 3G UK LTD) regularly review and update this code. This version was published on 1 July 2015.

If you've got a question about our compliance with this code, please write to:

General Counsel Hutchison 3G UK Limited, 450 Longwater Avenue, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6GF.

Or email your question to regulatory@three.co.uk