It is important to understand the distinction between the main players in the Pay-per-Call industry. The information below illustrates the relationship between the Information Provider, The Service Provider and the Telephone Network Operator.
The Network Provider
The telephone company, or Telco – provides the premium rate network, allocates premium rate numbers, bills and collects the charges from the customers for calls made to the premium rate services. The Telco then pays the Service Provider a percentage of the income for calls made to the premium rate numbers issued to the Service Provider.
The Information Provider
The Information Provider creates and promotes the services and will use the services of a Service Provider to provide recorded or live handling facilities.
The Service Bureau
The Service Bureau provides the facility whereby calls to the Information Providers (I.P.) service can be handled. The Service Bureau contracts for the installation of premium rate lines in their premises, installs sufficient premium rate computer equipment and employs the live operators to handle the mass of incoming calls.
The bureau provides daily or weekly statements of all calls made to the Information Providers (I.P.) service; and pays the agreed percentage of the revenue received from the Telco to the IP.
However, none of these activities need be exclusive. There are a number of Telcos who provide recorded and live facilities, and there are a number of Service Providers who also act as I.P.s, promoting their own premium rate services. More recently, with the proliferation of new telephone companies U.K., many of these Telcos are involved in all three aspects of the pay-per-call industry.