Update regarding changes to PhonepayPlus' new Registration Scheme

PhonepayPlus yesterday announced a further update to the changes in their Registration Scheme. This new registration process is also coinciding with the introduction of their new Code of Practice which will be published on 30th March 2011.

This new Registration Scheme, by PhonepayPlus' own admission, will affect the whole of the PRS industry, but this is qualified by 'the collective benefits it is anticipated to deliver' (PhonepayPlus, March 2011).

The statement goes on to describe the benefits:

'These include:

• Assisting the industry in performing sufficient due diligence to identify riskier organisations and the individuals behind them and so manage the risk of services having the potential for consumer harm;
• Assisting the regulator in engaging with the organisations and individuals most responsible for causing harm and to enforce regulatory compliance;
• Making it easy for consumers to contact their provider’s customer service team without needing to call their network or the regulator in the first instance;
• Making it increasingly difficult for fraudulent or reckless organisations to operate and so improve the confidence of consumers in using premium rate services.'

One of the fundamental outcome from the new Registration Scheme is the annual fee.

Registration needs to have taken place by 1st September 2011, other wise this is a breach of the Code of Practice.There are early bird discounts on the Registration fee and some exemptions, so TTNC are encouraging all our PRS providers and any prospective PRS providers to familiarise themselves with these changes and organise their registration accordingly.