Premium-rate telephone number

Premium-rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers for telephone calls during which certain services are provided, and for which prices higher than normal are charged. Unlike a normal call, part of the call charge is paid to the service provider, thus enabling businesses to be funded via the calls. While the billing is different, calls are usually routed the same way they are for a toll-free telephone number, being anywhere despite the area code used. These telephone numbers are usually allocated from a national telephone numbering plan in such a way that they are lightly distinguished from other numbers. Telephone companies typically suggest blocking services to permit telephone customers to prevent access to these number ranges from their telephones. In some jurisdictions, telephone companies are required by law to suggest such blocking.

Adult talk lines (phone lovemaking) and tech support are a very common use of premium-rate numbers. Other services include directory enquiries, weather forecasts, competitions and voting (especially relating to television shows). Diplomatic services, such as the US Embassy in London or the UK Embassy in Washington, have also charged premium rates for calls from the general public.

In many European countries, for example France, Germany and the United Kingdom, it was common for organisations to operate customer service lines on premium-rate numbers using prefixes that fall outside the scope of the country’s premium-rate number regulations. Therefore, in contrast to North America where customer service numbers are typically free of charge to the caller, consumers in Europe often used to pay a premium above the cost of a normal telephone call. The EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/EU/83 came into force on thirteen June 2014. It was supposed to eliminate this practice. Implementation detail, and hence the level of success in achieving this aim, varies considerably from country to country.

Computer criminals have used premium-rate numbers to defraud unsuspicious Internet users. One scheme involved inducing users to download a program known as a dialer that surreptitiously dialed a premium-rate number, accumulating charges on the user’s phone bill without their skill. Another now-uncommon premium-rate scam involves television programming that induces youthful children to dial the number, banking on the notion that they will be unaware of the charges that will be incurred. One variant, targeted at children too youthfull to dial a number, enticed children to hold the phone up to the television set while the DTMF tones of the number were played. This type of scam was especially popular in the late ’80s to early ’90s in the United States before tougher regulations on the nine hundred number business coerced many of these businesses to close. [1]

Contents

United States and Canada Edit

A 1-900 telephone number, in the North American Numbering Plan, has the form 1-900-###-####, and is often called a 900 number or a 1-900 number ("one-nine-hundred"). Area Code nine hundred went into service January 1, 1971, [Two] but the very first known to have been used in the United States for the "Ask President Carter" program in March 1977, for incoming calls to a nationwide talk radio broadcast featuring the freshly elected President Jimmy Carter, hosted by anchorman Walter Cronkite. [Trio] At that time, the intent for area code nine hundred was as a gasp exchange—a code that blocked large numbers of simultaneous callers from jamming up the long distance network. Numbers with the nine hundred area code were those which were expected to have a massive number of potential callers, and the nine hundred area code was screened at the local level to permit only a certain number of the callers in each area to access the nationwide long distance network for reaching the destination number. Also, the early incarnation of nine hundred was not billed at premium-rate charges, but rather at regular long distance charges based on the time of day and day of week that the call was placed. The number used for the radio program was one that was specially arranged by AT&T Corporation, CBS Radio, and the White House, to be free to the calling party. [Three] However, by 1980, [ citation needed ] the nine hundred area code was entirely restructured by AT&T to be the premium-rate special area code which it remains today. At that time, many evening news agencies conducted "pulse polls" for $.50 per call charges and displayed results on television. One early use was by Saturday Night Live producers for the sketch "Larry the Lobster", featuring Eddie Murphy. The comedy sketch drew almost 500,000 calls. AT&T and the producers of SNL split the profits of almost $250,000. [Four]

Earlier, 976 numbers used nine hundred seventy six as a local prefix (970 or five hundred forty in some markets like Fresh York state), tho’ it was not assigned to a specific telephone exchange like other prefixes. These numbers were dialed as any other number, such as 976-1234.

A call to either one of these numbers can result in a high per-minute or per-call charge. For example, a "psychic hotline" type of 1-900 number may charge $Two.99 for the very first minute and ninety nine cents for each extra minute.

Primarily, consumers had no choice regarding the accessibility to 900/976 numbers on their phones. However, in 1987, after a child had accumulated a bill of $17,000 [ citation needed ] , the California Public Utilities Commission subsequently required phone companies to give customers an option to prevent the dialing of 900/976 numbers. [Five]

From the early 1980s through the early 1990s, it was common to see commercials promoting 1-900 numbers to children featuring such things as characters famous from Saturday morning cartoons to Santa Claus. Due to complaints from parent groups about kids not knowing the dangers and high cost of such calls, the FTC enacted fresh rules and such commercials ceased to air on television as of the mid-1990s. [6]

Using nine hundred numbers for adult entertainment lines was a prevalent practice in the early years of the industry. This practice proceeds, along with the use of these numbers for things such as software technical support, banking access, and stock tips. Adult entertainment nine hundred numbers have been largely absent from AT&T and MCI since 1991. In 1992, the Supreme Court permitted a law passed by Congress that created a block on all nine hundred numbers that provided adult content, except for those consumers who requested access to a specific number in writing. The law killed the adult nine hundred number business, which moved over to eight hundred numbers, where billing had to be done by credit card. [7] The industry still suffers from the stigma fastened to the early days of the industry when adult entertainment lines were powerfully advertised on late-night television commercials.

Hulk Hogan’s Hotline was a lucrative nine hundred number in the 90s. [8] Other early leaders in amassing yam-sized volumes of revenue were the Fresh Kids on the Block and Dionne Warwick’s Psychic Friends Network.

Consumers in the US have specific rights regarding nine hundred number calls, as laid down by the Federal Trade Commission, such as the right to a disclaimer at the beginning of the call and a subsequent 3-second hang-up grace period, the capability to contest billing errors, a prohibition on marketing to children, and a requirement that telecommunication companies must permit the consumer to block dialing to nine hundred numbers. US telephone companies are prohibited from disconnecting local service as a means to force payment for 1-900 calls. [6] Various attempts have been made by vendors to circumvent these protections by using Caribbean or other international numbers outside Federal Communications Commission jurisdiction to bill US telephone subscribers; [9] the former +1-809 countries were popular as their North American Numbering Plan format numbers look domestic but are not. [Ten] The 101XXXX dial-around prefixes were also shortly the target of manhandle by premium number providers posing as inter-exchange carriers, a practice which has now been stopped. A loophole which permitted US (but not Canadian) providers in toll-free area code eight hundred to bill for calls by claiming the subscriber agreed to the charges has also been largely closed by more stringent regulation. [11] [12]

SMS also has a feature for premium rate services. They generally do not use nine hundred numbers, but instead use five-digit and six-digit numbers, shorter than a telephone number.

Mexico Edit

Premium rate numbers in Mexico are served by Telmex and embark with the dialling prefix 01-900, where one is the domestic long distance prefix and nine hundred is the premium-rate area code. These numbers are usually used for the same purposes as in the United States.

Argentina Edit

Telephone numbers of the form 0600-xxx-xxxx and 0609-xxx-xxxx are premium rate numbers. The six hundred nine series is for entertainment (immobile rate), while six hundred is for services (the rate depends on the particular number).

Brazil Edit

In Brazil, there is only one premium prefix: 0500, and this number is used by Brazilian Internal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) to file for the Annual Federal Income Tax exemption, or by organizations receiving donations (it’s a premium rate per call and not per minute).

A long time ago nine hundred was available, but now is no longer permitted. As there are no longer premium numbers, TV shows now use mobile numbers to receive calls and generate revenue to their program.

There is also the three hundred prefix, which is for companies which don’t suggest a eight hundred number. This call is charged harshly as a long distance call, but without the benefits of super diminished rates outside the business hours.

Premium-rate telephone number

Premium-rate telephone number

Premium-rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers for telephone calls during which certain services are provided, and for which prices higher than normal are charged. Unlike a normal call, part of the call charge is paid to the service provider, thus enabling businesses to be funded via the calls. While the billing is different, calls are usually routed the same way they are for a toll-free telephone number, being anywhere despite the area code used. These telephone numbers are usually allocated from a national telephone numbering plan in such a way that they are lightly distinguished from other numbers. Telephone companies typically suggest blocking services to permit telephone customers to prevent access to these number ranges from their telephones. In some jurisdictions, telephone companies are required by law to suggest such blocking.

Adult talk lines (phone lovemaking) and tech support are a very common use of premium-rate numbers. Other services include directory enquiries, weather forecasts, competitions and voting (especially relating to television shows). Diplomatic services, such as the US Embassy in London or the UK Embassy in Washington, have also charged premium rates for calls from the general public.

In many European countries, for example France, Germany and the United Kingdom, it was common for organisations to operate customer service lines on premium-rate numbers using prefixes that fall outside the scope of the country’s premium-rate number regulations. Therefore, in contrast to North America where customer service numbers are typically free of charge to the caller, consumers in Europe often used to pay a premium above the cost of a normal telephone call. The EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/EU/83 came into force on thirteen June 2014. It was supposed to eliminate this practice. Implementation detail, and hence the level of success in achieving this aim, varies considerably from country to country.

Computer criminals have used premium-rate numbers to defraud unsuspicious Internet users. One scheme involved inducing users to download a program known as a dialer that surreptitiously dialed a premium-rate number, accumulating charges on the user’s phone bill without their skill. Another now-uncommon premium-rate scam involves television programming that induces youthful children to dial the number, banking on the notion that they will be unaware of the charges that will be incurred. One variant, targeted at children too youthful to dial a number, enticed children to hold the phone up to the television set while the DTMF tones of the number were played. This type of scam was especially popular in the late ’80s to early ’90s in the United States before tougher regulations on the nine hundred number business coerced many of these businesses to close. [1]

Contents

United States and Canada Edit

A 1-900 telephone number, in the North American Numbering Plan, has the form 1-900-###-####, and is often called a 900 number or a 1-900 number ("one-nine-hundred"). Area Code nine hundred went into service January 1, 1971, [Two] but the very first known to have been used in the United States for the "Ask President Carter" program in March 1977, for incoming calls to a nationwide talk radio broadcast featuring the freshly elected President Jimmy Carter, hosted by anchorman Walter Cronkite. [Three] At that time, the intent for area code nine hundred was as a gasp exchange—a code that blocked large numbers of simultaneous callers from jamming up the long distance network. Numbers with the nine hundred area code were those which were expected to have a meaty number of potential callers, and the nine hundred area code was screened at the local level to permit only a certain number of the callers in each area to access the nationwide long distance network for reaching the destination number. Also, the early incarnation of nine hundred was not billed at premium-rate charges, but rather at regular long distance charges based on the time of day and day of week that the call was placed. The number used for the radio program was one that was specially arranged by AT&T Corporation, CBS Radio, and the White House, to be free to the calling party. [Three] However, by 1980, [ citation needed ] the nine hundred area code was fully restructured by AT&T to be the premium-rate special area code which it remains today. At that time, many evening news agencies conducted "pulse polls" for $.50 per call charges and displayed results on television. One early use was by Saturday Night Live producers for the sketch "Larry the Lobster", featuring Eddie Murphy. The comedy sketch drew almost 500,000 calls. AT&T and the producers of SNL split the profits of almost $250,000. [Four]

Earlier, 976 numbers used nine hundred seventy six as a local prefix (970 or five hundred forty in some markets like Fresh York state), tho’ it was not assigned to a specific telephone exchange like other prefixes. These numbers were dialed as any other number, such as 976-1234.

A call to either one of these numbers can result in a high per-minute or per-call charge. For example, a "psychic hotline" type of 1-900 number may charge $Two.99 for the very first minute and ninety nine cents for each extra minute.

Originally, consumers had no choice regarding the accessibility to 900/976 numbers on their phones. However, in 1987, after a child had accumulated a bill of $17,000 [ citation needed ] , the California Public Utilities Commission subsequently required phone companies to give customers an option to prevent the dialing of 900/976 numbers. [Five]

From the early 1980s through the early 1990s, it was common to see commercials promoting 1-900 numbers to children featuring such things as characters famous from Saturday morning cartoons to Santa Claus. Due to complaints from parent groups about kids not knowing the dangers and high cost of such calls, the FTC enacted fresh rules and such commercials ceased to air on television as of the mid-1990s. [6]

Using nine hundred numbers for adult entertainment lines was a prevalent practice in the early years of the industry. This practice proceeds, along with the use of these numbers for things such as software technical support, banking access, and stock tips. Adult entertainment nine hundred numbers have been largely absent from AT&T and MCI since 1991. In 1992, the Supreme Court permitted a law passed by Congress that created a block on all nine hundred numbers that provided adult content, except for those consumers who requested access to a specific number in writing. The law killed the adult nine hundred number business, which moved over to eight hundred numbers, where billing had to be done by credit card. [7] The industry still suffers from the stigma fastened to the early days of the industry when adult entertainment lines were powerfully advertised on late-night television commercials.

Hulk Hogan’s Hotline was a lucrative nine hundred number in the 90s. [8] Other early leaders in amassing giant volumes of revenue were the Fresh Kids on the Block and Dionne Warwick’s Psychic Friends Network.

Consumers in the US have specific rights regarding nine hundred number calls, as laid down by the Federal Trade Commission, such as the right to a disclaimer at the beginning of the call and a subsequent 3-second hang-up grace period, the capability to contest billing errors, a prohibition on marketing to children, and a requirement that telecommunication companies must permit the consumer to block dialing to nine hundred numbers. US telephone companies are prohibited from disconnecting local service as a means to force payment for 1-900 calls. [6] Various attempts have been made by vendors to circumvent these protections by using Caribbean or other international numbers outside Federal Communications Commission jurisdiction to bill US telephone subscribers; [9] the former +1-809 countries were popular as their North American Numbering Plan format numbers look domestic but are not. [Ten] The 101XXXX dial-around prefixes were also shortly the target of manhandle by premium number providers posing as inter-exchange carriers, a practice which has now been stopped. A loophole which permitted US (but not Canadian) providers in toll-free area code eight hundred to bill for calls by claiming the subscriber agreed to the charges has also been largely closed by more stringent regulation. [11] [12]

SMS also has a feature for premium rate services. They generally do not use nine hundred numbers, but instead use five-digit and six-digit numbers, shorter than a telephone number.

Mexico Edit

Premium rate numbers in Mexico are served by Telmex and commence with the dialling prefix 01-900, where one is the domestic long distance prefix and nine hundred is the premium-rate area code. These numbers are usually used for the same purposes as in the United States.

Argentina Edit

Telephone numbers of the form 0600-xxx-xxxx and 0609-xxx-xxxx are premium rate numbers. The six hundred nine series is for entertainment (stationary rate), while six hundred is for services (the rate depends on the particular number).

Brazil Edit

In Brazil, there is only one premium prefix: 0500, and this number is used by Brazilian Internal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) to file for the Annual Federal Income Tax exemption, or by organizations receiving donations (it’s a premium rate per call and not per minute).

A long time ago nine hundred was available, but now is no longer permitted. As there are no longer premium numbers, TV shows now use mobile numbers to receive calls and generate revenue to their program.

There is also the three hundred prefix, which is for companies which don’t suggest a eight hundred number. This call is charged harshly as a long distance call, but without the benefits of super diminished rates outside the business hours.

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