Phone-paid Services Authority

The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA), known as PhonepayPlus until 1 November 2016,[1] is the regulatory body for all premium rate phone-paid services in the United Kingdom. These are the content, goods and services that consumers can buy by charging the cost to their phone bills and pre-pay phone accounts.[2]

Phone-paid Services Authority
AbbreviationPSA
Formation1986
Legal statusnon-profit making company limited by guarantee
PurposeUK regulator for content, goods and services charged to a phone bill
Location
  • 25th Floor, 40 Bank Street, London
Region served
UK
Chairman
David Edmonds CBE
AffiliationsOfcom
Websitepsauthority.org.uk
Formerly called
PhonepayPlus (2007-2016), ICSTIS (1986-2007)

It was founded as the Independent Committee for the supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services[3] (ICSTIS) at the request of three network operators (British Telecom, Mercury Communications, and Vodafone) as a response to public criticism of their profiting from adult premium rate content. It re-branded itself as PhonepayPlus in June 2007.[4]

It regulates services using a Code of Practice,[5] approved by Ofcom. This sets out the rules with which all providers of phone-paid services must comply. Among other things, it requires clear and accurate pricing information, honest advertising and service content, and appropriate and targeted promotions. The code is updated approximately annually.

The Phone-paid Services Authority investigates complaints about phone-paid services. Where it decides that its rules have been broken, it can fine the company responsible, bar access to its services, and even bar the individual behind the company from running other services under a different company name. Investigations and adjudications are free to consumers and are supposed to be fully independent. The Phone-paid Services Authority regulates services using the following number ranges: 070, 087, 090, 091, 098 and 118, plus five-digit mobile shortcodes.[6]

Phone-paid Services Authority powers

When the Phone-paid Services Authority upholds a breach of its Code, the company responsible must immediately amend the service and/or its promotional material so that it complies with the Code. In most cases, companies found in breach of the Code will be charged to cover the cost of the investigation.

The Phone-paid Services Authority also has the power to impose the following sanctions:

  1. formal reprimands
  2. making companies come to the regulator for prior approval
  3. ordering companies to pay full refunds to complainants
  4. imposing fines
  5. barring access to services
  6. banning named persons from operating services

Phone-paid Services Authority board

Chairs of the board have included:

  • Sir Louis Blom-Cooper QC, Lawyer
  • Brenda Dean, Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, Trade Unionist
  • Sir Peter North (academic)
  • Sir Alistair Graham, Fmr Chair of the Committee on standards in public life

Members of the board have included:

  • Matti Alderson, regulator
  • Dr. Howard Baderman, A & E consultant
  • Ruth Evans
  • Hugh Griffiths,Telecoms veteran
  • Jeremy Hallsworth, Chief Executive Officer of BT agilemedia
  • Valerie Howarth, Baroness Howarth of Breckland, Child care activist and founder of Childline
  • Yvonne Light, Writer & journalist
  • Kate Marcus, Barrister
  • Claire Milne, Telecoms veteran
  • Mark Stephens (solicitor), Lawyer, mediator and regulator
  • Howard Webber, Consumer champion
  • Paul Whiteing, regulator
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References
  1. "UK regulator PhonepayPlus to rename as Phone-paid Services Authority". PhonepayPlus. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-25.
  2. "PhonepayPlus (formerly ICSTIS)". Directgov. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-10-15.
  3. "ICSTIS - About". ICSTIS. 12 August 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-08-12.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  4. Williams, Christopher (19 June 2007). "Goodbye ICSTIS, hello PhonePayPlus". Retrieved 2017-01-25.
  5. "Code of Practice". Phone-paid Services Authority. Archived from the original on 2016-12-11.
  6. "Number ranges regulated by the Phone-paid Services Authority". Phone-paid Services Authority. Archived from the original on 2016-11-25.
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