This article outlines the regulatory services offered by ICSTIS. The article will help to understand what individuals, service providers and phone networks can expect out of ICSTIS. It is an independent body that regularizes premium rate telephone services in the United Kingdom. It is a non profit making organization and consists of twelve board members and supported by a full time executive.
In the UK, in order to operate as a Premium Rate Service operator you must register with ICSTIS. When registering, service providers must provide certain data to the regulatory body. After verifying the details, ICSTIS offers a premium rate number to the service provider.
The service provider must provide some minimum details to ICSTIS for getting a license. Some of these details are the telephone number ranges with which it wants to offer services, any website address that the service provider may need to link as part of the service, and the contact details of the directors. Once the registration is done the service provider is given a Service Provider Registration Number (SPN).
It is important to note that you need to register only once as a service provider. A service operator can charge up to 1.50 per minute for premium rate numbers. The service providers should address any relevant regulatory and legal issues before embarking on the service. There are some areas of Premium Rate Number services which are beyond the scope of ICSTIS, such as technical, legal, commercial, and other matters related to services that do not charge by way of premium rate.
Phone networks planning to offer premium rate services should register with ICSTIS before they start. This applies to communication providers who desire to begin to originate and terminate services for premium rate numbers.
If you start your services without registration then ICSTIS has the rights to initiate investigation against your firm. Also you have to pay a levy on the revenues that you generate to the regulatory body.
ICSTIS also takes initiative to ensure that people using the premium rate services are not taken for a ride by the service providers and the network companies. It has given a mandate to the service providers to offer precise and accurate pricing information, genuine advertising and service content. ICSTIS has certain powers to bar companies from operating Premium Rate Services if they breach the code of conduct of operations. It takes around 30 days to get a clearance from ICSTIS and start services. The investment for a service provider can be from nil to 50.
Once you have your license from ICSTIS, you can start any premium rate service, whether it is adult entertainment services, weather forecasts, or technical support services for hardware or software. While playing the role of a father figure in the Premium Rate Number industry, ICSTIS offers ever-present service for the benefit of providers, consumers, and operators. Without ICSTIS we would be in a “jungle” of Premium Rate service numbers.