Who or what the heck is PPP?

PPP?
Well the answer is PPP is what ICSTIS turned into.... none the wiser... let me explain. As you are all aware the industry is awash with acronyms or TLAs as I like to call them (that's Three Letter Abbreviations). Well PPP stands for Phone Pay Plus, and this is the organisation that regulates phone-paid services in the UK. It replaced the equally easily understood ICSTIS (Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services).

 

What they do for Consumers

PPP exist to help protect the consumer from harm from services paid for by phone, this primarily means Premium rate lines and sms services. One of the things that PPP provides is a simple number checker so that Consumers can check who owns any given number or short code. For example if you look up 62277, a WIN shared shortcode, you will see our info. This allows consumers to identify who has billed them.
 
They also regulate services using a Code of Practice. This sets out the rules with which all providers of phone-paid services must comply. Among other things, they require:

• clear and accurate pricing information
• honest advertising and service content
• appropriate and targeted promotions.

 

What they do for Businesses
For companies operating services PPP will provide copy advice for adverts, service messages and other promotions. And if people do not stick to the Code of Practice then PPP can bar services, and if needed will also make adjudications on services and fine the operators of the service. Hopefully by keeping services in line the industry can avoid the Consumer confidence issues that Premium rate lines suffered in the past.

 

Who pays for PPP?
Well the industry pays for PPP, a small % is taken from every transaction to pay for PPP.

 

 

Regulators in other countries
Ireland RegTel

(Can Greece and KL post details of the Regulators in their countries please)