The crime whose name may not be spoken

[mike99]

Having long since given up trying to persuade ICSTIS to do something about unsolicited non-promotional reverse charge SMS [UNPRCS] I thought I should try a different approach and simply get ICSTIS to tell the truth on this subject. Where better to start than with the "I don't want Premium Rate" page on the phonedrain site - designed to educate children about the dangers of premium rate. Surely ICSTIS wouldn't lie to children?

I don't want Premium Rate ...

This is your decision and if you want to avoid premium rate you can. Make sure you can recognise it. It’s easy to recognise premium rate. Numbers start with ‘09’ and texts are 4, 5 or 6 digit shortcodes. 118 services are also classed as premium rate.

If you use premium rate services then look for the price.

* Calls = between 10p and £1.50 a minute (calls from landlines and mobiles are different)
* Texts = up to £1.50

Calls

It is possible to bar calling premium rate from your phone.

Texts

It is not possible to bar premium rates texts so if you want to avoid them make sure you keep your eyes open for prices before you text.

I pointed out, very politely, that this text was misleading. You can't avoid premium rate UNPRCS and children should be warned about this and told what to do if they start getting it.

My correspondent put in some stuff about "STOP" and people who were "using" more than one service, but I did not really feel that this addressed the point I was making. I suggested the following amendments to the text we had by that stage:

I don't want Premium Rate ...

This is your decision and if you want to avoid premium rate, in most cases you can. Make sure you can recognise it. It’s easy to recognise premium rate. Numbers start with ‘09’ and texts are 4, 5 or 6 digit shortcodes. 118 services are also classed as premium rate.

If you use premium rate services then look for the price.

Calls = between 10p and £1.50 a minute (calls from landlines and mobiles are different)
Texts = up to £1.50

Calls
It is possible to bar calling premium rate from your phone. Simply call your phone network (use link below for contact numbers) and request premium rate call barring.

Follow this link for contact details of your phone network

Texts
It is not possible to bar your phone from sending or receiving premium rate texts so if you want to avoid being charged for them make sure you keep your eyes open for prices before you text and look out for incoming text messages that you were not expecting.

If you want to stop receiving premium rate text messages, send the word STOP to the short code number the text came from. If you are receiving two or more services from the same short code, send STOP ALL to the short code to unsubscribe from all the services.

If you are unsure about what to do, you or a parent/guardian/teacher can call ICSTIS on freephone 0800 500 212 (Mon-Fri, 8am - 6pm) or write to help@phonebrain.org.uk.

Nothing in the least bit controversial there you might think, but how wrong you would be. My ICSTIS correspondent tinkered a bit more and put in "receiving" in place of "using" but no matter how much I complained, he steadfastly resisted the insertion of any text that might imply that there was such a thing as UNPRCS.

As far as ICSTIS are concerned, kids are at risk from the fact that they might decide to send premium rate texts, not at risk from the fact that they might receive premium rate texts that they had not decided to receive.

In the end, my ICSTIS contact obviously got sick of hearing from me and stopped responding.

My conclusion: ICSTIS really really really do not want to talk about unsolicited non-promotional reverse charge SMS. When people or organizations try to avoid a particular subject at any cost, it is generally a sign that they have something to hide and that the taboo subject is exactly the one that we should be all talking about.

So, ICSTIS, what are you trying to hide? When are you going to admit that there is a problem with UNPRCS?

"The truth will set you free!"

[mike99]

Never one to withhold credit where it is due, I can now report that ICSTIS have amended the site as follows (my contact did get back to me):

I don't want Premium Rate ...

This is your decision and if you want to avoid premium rate, in most cases you can.

see phonedrain

ICSTIS still refuse to explicitly acknowledge the fact that you can't block incoming premium rate SMS, but at least the children who read this page may know what to do if they start receiving it and their parents will be made aware that there are some premium rate services you can't protect your children from.

.............. now about the faqs. Why can we have questions about unsolicited emails and unsolicited faxes but not about unsolicited texts?