“No live services may be provided without prior permission from PhonepayPlus, save that PhonepayPlus may identify categories of live services which [...]]]> Under the latest rules from the UK regulator phonepayplus – there are some lives services which do not need prior permission.  Paragraph 6.1.1 of the 11th Edition of the PhonepayPlus Code of Practice states that:

“No live services may be provided without prior permission from PhonepayPlus, save that PhonepayPlus may identify categories of live services which are exempt from the prior permission requirement. Such exemptions may be withdrawn or modified by PhonepayPlus at any time on reasonable notice and a list of exempt categories will be published by PhonepayPlus from time to time.”

The categories of live service listed below are exempt from the requirement for prior permission, unless they are charged at more than £1 per minute where the total cost of the call can exceed £30: 

•  live customer support services
• live directory enquiry (DQ) services
• live data capture services – these are services that take callers’ details so that a service or product can be provided following the premium rate call
• connection services for live conversation for UK end destinations only – these services include services enabling ‘cheap’ (typically 10ppm up to 60ppm) calls to hospitalised relatives and friends
• live classified advertisement services – these services usually take the form of data capture services
• live alarm services – these services usually involve calls being made to the police at a premium rate by alarm monitoring centres following receipt of notification that alarms have been activated
•  live betting tipster services
• live advice services using non-087X numbers – these exclude ‘professional’ services such as those providing legal or medical advice, or services providing any type of counselling
• live advice (including advice on consumer credit) and counselling services using 087X numbers
• business conference services – these are services in which two or more persons
  are enabled to simultaneously conduct a telephone conversation with each other where that conversation is chaired by a designated individual and is in furtherance of an existing or forthcoming business relationship.

Even if the live services that you wish to set up falls into the categories set out above, you must still inform PhonepayPlus in advance of the services you intend to operate. This can be done using the online registration forms available on the PhonepayPlus website. If you are unsure as to whether your service requires permission or not, you are strongly urged to contact the PhonepayPlus.