Premium Rate Telephone Services are to be found everywhere now as more companies realise the potential of using an 090 premium rate telephone number. They are used to charge customers for telephone support to supplying services such as , tipster lines, adult content, chat rooms, dating services, tarot reading, TV game shows, reality TV, competitions etc. Their effectiveness is second to nothing else when used for the right reason as it removes the hassle of billing the customer direct and collecting money from the customer. No matter how many customers call your premium rate number you'll be paid by one company. Premium rate numbers can open up totally new opportunities for your business to earn money from supplying services that previously you thought impossible.

Premium rate numbers are numbers that begin with 090. They can be used to raise revenue from callers telephoning your 090 number. You can set the amount to charge the caller from £0.10p per minute to £1.50p per minute. Charging callers to call your premium rate number allows you to sell services via the telephone. Your charge to the caller is collected via their telephone bill and passed over to us; we in turn pass a large share of this money raised to you in the form of call revenue share each month.

Most services can be set up without icstis' prior permission. However certain services that have been found to pose a greater risk of causing consumer harm may not be provided unless icstis has first granted permission. These include the following services:

• services involving two-way live conversation
• services costing more than £1 per minute where the total can exceed £20
• all consumer credit services
• all mobile originating (MO) and mobile terminating (MT) SMS chat and contact and dating services
• all directory enquiry (DQ) services.

For more information, please download Guideline No. 2: Prior Permission. (All downloads are available in pdf format, viewable with Adobe Acrobat, which can be downloaded free here.)

Applying for prior permission

Where a proposed service falls into a category requiring prior permission, an application needs to be submitted by the service provider to the Secretariat.

Click here to view the applications for prior permission.

Applicants should note the following:

• When an application has been granted permission, the service provider will be sent a permission certificate. The network operator will need to see the certificate before activating the associated premium rate number.
• It is the service provider (individual, company or organisation contracting with a network operator for the premium rate numbers) that needs to apply for prior permission, even where the service provider is acting as an ‘aggregator’, 'reseller' or 'bureau' providing the service on a client's behalf (the 'information provider'). Application forms must be submitted with a mock-up of promotional material and if any promotion will be by word of mouth, the mock-up should be in the form of a script. Failure to provide all the required information may result in a delay in processing an application.
• icstis does not charge a processing fee for applications at present.
• Most applications should take three to four weeks to process. For some types of service, however, such as live entertainment, counselling, consumer credit and SMS chat services, the processing time may take longer.
• Where an application form is incomplete or further information is needed from the applicant, the processing time will be extended.
• The icstis Committee retains discretion to refuse applications or to seek further information.

Applicants wishing to offer live entertainment services, including one-to-one live chat, live psychic/tarot and multi-party chat should note the following:

• All service providers offering live one-to-one ‘chat’ and live psychic/tarot services are required to have compensation arrangements in place before service is started. A non-returnable sum of £7,500 must be paid into the Compensation Fund and in addition, a Compensation Bond needs to be lodged (this is approximately £15,000 for one-to-one ‘chat’ and £7,500 for psychic/tarot). For more details, please download Guideline 6.
• Providers of live entertainment services need to record all calls using icstis-approved recording equipment. Please see the requirements and a list of suppliers.

Setting up a service that does not need prior permission

Where a proposed service does not fall into a category of service needing prior permission, service providers should do the following:

• Satisfy themselves that the content and promotional material for the proposed service comply fully with the icstis Code of Practice and with the relevant icstis Guidelines. Copy advice and guidance on proposed service content is available free to service providers from the icstis Secretariat.
• Satisfy themselves that any relevant legal or other regulatory requirements relating to operation or promotion of the premium rate service have been met.
• Go to a network operator to obtain premium rate numbers and to arrange to have the service connected (click here for network operator contact details).
• Provide icstis with details of premium rate numbers allocated by the network operator, together with contact details for communications regarding compliance with the Code of Practice. This can be done by downloading and filling in the Service Provider Registration Form.
• Sign up for e-mail notifications to be updated electronically each time icstis documents, including the Code of Practice and Guidelines, are updated. (Service providers without access to e-mail or the Internet should call us to have their details added to the mailing list.)