PhonepayPlus Opens Registration Scheme

PhonepayPlus, the UK regulator of premium rate telephone services (PRS), has opened its new industry Registration Scheme.

The new PhonepayPlus Code of Practice was published on 30 March and comes into force on 1 September 2011. The Code requires that all network operators and providers operating PRS in the UK are registered with PhonepayPlus. The regulator has  opened registration now in order to give all providers and their clients enough time to register their organisations before the Code of Practice and Registration Scheme come into force. Advice on who needs to register, and what information needs to be submitted, can be found here.

Network operators and providers who meet certain criteria and who wish to assist their clients with the registration process will be able to take advantage of a bulk upload service for pre-registering 50 or more organisations. Although these clients must still complete their registrations themselves, bulk uploads will help by significantly reducing the amount of time clients will need to take to complete registration. PhonepayPlus will be launching the bulk upload service shortly, and will announce the process for submitting bulk upload requests in due course.

Further functionality of the Registration Scheme, including the registration of premium rate services to populate the Number Checker information service and the ability to carry out due diligence checks on existing and prospective business partners, will be released in the coming months, with relevant advice and information published at that time.

The registration fee for the first year of the Scheme (commencing 1 September 2011) is set at £100 +VAT. Registration is renewable on an annual basis from the date the registration fee is paid. However, no extra cost will be incurred by organisations who wish to register early. In fact, for organisations who register between now and the end of June, there is a discounted rate of £50, and for those who register in July and August, the rate is reduced to £80.
There are a number of exemptions which apply for the first year of operation (from 1 September 2011):

  • Exemption from the requirement to register: Network operators and provider who only operate premium rate services on the 0871/2/3 number ranges
  • Required to register but exemption from the requirement to pay a registration fee: charities registered in the UK
  • Required to register but exemption from the requirement to pay a registration fee: providers of PRS whose total PRS revenue from outpayments is less than £5,000 in the current year

There is a Registration Helpdesk available on 0844 264 1222.