Written question asked by Brian Binley (Conservative) on Thursday, 24 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 28 November 2005. It was answered by Alun Michael (Labour) on Monday, 19 December 2005 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Rogue Dialling
- Question
- To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make representations to British Telecom on not holding consumers responsible for telephone charges due to rogue dialling; if he will introduce legislation to protect consumers from the effects of rogue dialling; and if he will ask the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information to re-open an investigation of the role of premium media communication and other companies in rogue dialling.
- Answer
-
The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) has put in place a prior permission scheme for Premium Rate diallers. This makes it possible to assess the dialler software to be used for proposed services, and if appropriate to prohibit their release. The independent regulator for electronic communications, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), is currently consulting on extending this scheme to enable ICSTIS to take action against any rogue dialler irrespective of the telephone number or call charge used. Implementing a recommendation from Ofcom's Report into the Regulation of Premium Rate Services, this Department has just increased the maximum fine for breaches of the ICSTIS Code, and ICSTIS intends to review its sanctions policy early in 2006. ICSTIS has also put in place a key recommendation from the report to slow the money-flow to those that abuse the premium rate services charging mechanism. This obliges telecoms companies not to make payments to premium rate service providers for at least 30 days after calls have been made. This gives ICSTIS more time to identify breaches of its Code and enables ICSTIS to direct telecoms companies to withhold funds pending the outcome of investigations.As ICSTIS has not had any complaints since May, Premium Media Communications may have withdrawn from the UK dialler market. However ICSTIS plans to write to this company shortly to give it notice of the withdrawal of its licence to operate diallers. This means that no phone company can give Premium Media Communications premium rate numbers for dialler services.The Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (Otelo) is the appropriate body to make representations to BT on consumer disputes about telephone charges due to rogue dialling, and regularly contacts BT about specific cases.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 440 c2330-1W; 33181
- Session
- 2005-06
- Subjects
- Consumers Fraud Fees and charges Legislation Internet Protection Regulation Telephone services Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services
- Link
- View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2013-11-24 22:06:14 +0000
- URI
- http://data.parliament.uk/pimsdata/Hansard/PARLIAMENTARY_QUESTION_1088377
- In Indexing
- http://indexing.parliament.uk/Content/Edit/1?uri=http://data.parliament.uk/pimsdata/Hansard/PARLIAMENTARY_QUESTION_1088377
- In Solr
- https://search.parliament.uk/claw/solr/?id=http://data.parliament.uk/pimsdata/Hansard/PARLIAMENTARY_QUESTION_1088377