PhonePayPlus New Code Consultation
The Framework for Premium Rate Services (PRS) Regulation in the UK is set to change dramatically this year as PhonepayPlus (PpP), the UK Premium Rate Regulator, consults on its new Code of Practice.
PpP's new Code consultation was published on 29 April and will close on 8 July.
On 13 April, PpP published an Interim Consultation on a Registration Scheme for Premium Rate Services in advance of the full PpP Code Consultation. This Consultation closed on 25 May and MEF's response can be found here.
PhonepayPlus New Code workshops - June
PhonepayPlus (PpP) is holding two workshops about its proposed new Code and invites all of its stakeholders, especially those Information/Content Providers who will be most affected by the proposed changes, to attend one of these two workshops.
The dates/locations of the two events are:
- Monday 21 June – Manchester (The Palace Hotel)
- Thursday 24 June – London (Tower Hotel by Guoman)
Both events will begin at 12pm with a buffet lunch. The first session will start promptly at 1pm and the event will finish by 5pm.
To register, please email rsvp@phonepayplus.org.uk with your name, company name, email address and the date/location of the workshop you would like to attend by Wednesday 16 June. Please contact Alex Littlemore at PpP or call on 020 7940 7413 with any questions.
Responding to the Consultation
PhonepayPlus’ new Code consultation – summary version and fast-track online response form - published 2 June 2010
PhonepayPlus understands that many consumers and smaller providers may not have the time or resource to respond to PhonepayPlus’ full consultation, PhonepayPlus has therefore published a more accessible consultation summary. This is an eight-page guide, written in plain English, that explains the key changes proposed in the new Code consultation.
Alongside this, PpP has created a fast-track online response form that consolidates the consultation questions into a single, easy-to-complete questionnaire.
MEF strongly encourages Members to respond to this very important consultation, either directly to PpP using the new fast-track online response form or by other means, or to submit comments via MEF as part of a collaborative response which we will produce on behalf of our Members.
MEF Events
To assist industry in understanding the proposals, MEF has recently held the following events:
6 May - Webinar on the PpP Registration Scheme
19 May - Live Workshop on the new Code of Practice in London
Please click on each of the above events for more information or contact Miranda with any questions.
Background Summary
In October 2009, Ofcom, the Office of Communications, which has delegated responsibility for the regulation of the UK PRS industry to PpP, published its Statement on the Scope of PRS regulation following a review. The statement included recommendations grouped around three themes:
- Making sure consumers are able to make informed decisions
- The need to provide consumers with effective redress when things go wrong; and
- Helping providers act more responsibly and so prevent consumer harm
PpP’s own revision of its Code of Practice began in 2009, with the ultimate objectives of the Ofcom recommendations and practical implementation addressed in its pre-Consultation ‘12th Code Discussion Paper’.
In addressing its two main objectives which arise from the Ofcom recommendations, changes to the PRS Regulatory Framework industry needs to be aware of the following main areas of change:
Goal-Based Outcomes & Guidance
PpP is seeking to simplify the Code, replacing detailed provisions which prescribe how certain service types can operate with an approach to regulation which instead seeks to ensure certain outcomes to consumers.
Definitions
PpP is seeking to change the way different businesses in the PRS value chain are described with the objective of ensuring that the right regulatory responsibilities sit at the right points along the value chain and that the relevant party is held accountable where appropriate and/or to enable companies to carry out due diligence, risk assessment and control on clients.
Registration Scheme
Ofcom has mandated a Registration Scheme for all parties in the PRS value chain with the objective of identifying and holding information on all PRS providers, to provide businesses with a better understanding about the regulatory risk of partnering with other providers, to allow PpP to enforce the new Code effectively and efficiently, to ensure that repeat offenders are readily identifiable and to provide consumers and providers with an effective premium rate number checking facility.
On 13 April, PpP published an Interim Consultation on a Registration Scheme for Premium Rate Services in advance of the full PpP Code Consultation. This Consultation closed on 25 May and MEF's response can be found here.