New Non Geographic Service Charges Introduced

Additional Chargebands for Non Geographic Number Services are being introduced 1 July 2016. These are in addition to the charges introduced 1 July 2015.

Non Geographic numbers are regulated by Pay Phone Plus and include calls to numbers beginning 118, 08 and 09. The numbers are generally allocated to service companies providing services such as Directory Enquiries, Information Services, Entertainment Services and other Value Add Services.

Calls to these numbers are more expensive than calls to landlines (starting 01, and 02) and National Numbers (starting 03).

The Service Provider (who provides the service) must advise the cost of the service in any advertisements and in any publicity for the number.

In addition to the service charge advised by the service provider there is an access charge payable advised by your telephone company (the company who supplied you with telephone service). Consumers must be advised of the access charge by their telephone company but the invoice may consolidate the two elements. Business customers may be advised of a single consolidated charge for the two elements.

The new codes advised are:

Calls charged in pence per minute
SC081 18ppm
SC082 22ppm
SC083 350ppm

Calls charged by set up fee and then pence per minute from start of call
SC084 250ppc + 75ppm
SC085 260ppc + 99ppm
SC086 275ppc + 78ppm

Calls charged by set up fee which includes first 60 seconds then pence per minute
SC087 898ppc + 449ppm
SC088 998ppc + 499ppm
SC089 1198ppc + 599ppm
SC090 1398ppc + 699ppm
SC091 1598ppc + 799ppm
SC092 7ppc + 7ppm
SC093 13ppc + 13ppm
SC094 80ppc + 80ppm
SC095 100ppc + 100ppm
SC096 300ppc + 300ppm
SC097 360ppc + 50ppm
SC098 360ppc + 150ppm
SC099 360ppc + 200ppm
SC100 360ppc + 360ppm 

All prices include VAT
Plus Access Charge as advised by the provider of  your outbound call service
Prices correct at time of publication but may change afterwards
Please check cost of call with the service provider before dialling any number

For more information please see our previous blog
http://plumcom.blogspot.com/2015/07/guide-for-businesses-to-uk-calling.html

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Cold callers to be forced to display phone numbers under new Government plans

Cold callers will no longer be able to hide or disguise their phone numbers as Government continues to crack down on nuisance calls.

Baroness Neville Rolfe, minister responsible for data protection, is expected to confirm tomorrow that from Monday 16 May 2016, direct marketing companies registered in the UK will need to display their phone numbers when making unsolicited phone calls - even if their call centres are based abroad.
The move follows positive backing in a public consultation and extensive work with regulators, industry, and consumer groups.
Baroness Neville Rolfe said:

Nuisance calls are incredibly intrusive and can cause significant harm to elderly and vulnerable members of society.

Government is committed to tackling this problem, which is why we are making it easier for consumers to report companies by forcing them to display their phone numbers.

We’re sending a clear message to rogue direct marketing companies. Nuisance calls are unacceptable and we will not hesitate to take action against the companies behind them.

This amendment in legislation will not only improve consumer protection, making it easier for people to refuse and report unwanted marketing calls, but it will also ensure the ICO can investigate and take enforcement action against callers who persistently and deliberately break the rules.

This latest move by Government follows news that a substantial number of fines totalling £895,000 have been issued by the ICO. In 2015, this Government made it easier to fine nuisance callers by removing the need for consumers to prove that unwanted marketing calls were causing substantial distress and damage.

Companies can risk fines of up to £2 million from Ofcom and a further £500,000 from the ICO if they continue to bombard consumers with unwanted calls.
ICO Head of Enforcement, Steve Eckersley said:

Any change that make it easier for us to track down and take action against companies making nuisance calls is a change that will reduce the annoyance these calls cause.

We do investigate unscrupulous companies who hide their identities, and we can track them down, but it certainly makes our job more difficult. And when people are able to identify the number behind the call they’ve received, they’re more likely to complain to us and that means we’re more able to take action.

We welcome this move, which we’ve been consulted on throughout.

Which? Executive director Richard Lloyd, said:

This is another important victory in the fight against nuisance calls. With marketing firms now being forced to display their numbers when making calls, it will make it much easier for people to report them and enforcement action to be taken when companies break the law.

Plum Communications supply a range of CLI flexibility services which allow call centres to supply a a suitable number and stay legal when making calls, please speak to us if you require advice on remaining compliant after the new changes.

We also supply a range of services to allow you to restrict inbound calls based upon the caller number presented and where the number is withheld.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cold-callers-to-be-forced-to-display-phone-numbers-under-new-government-plans

Plum Communications : 01616223500

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Alert: Fake debt collection and council tax emails

Action Fraud has received a surge in calls and reports from concerned members of the public who have received debt collection and council tax scam emails. 

Outstanding debt

In the past couple of days the Action Fraud contact centre has received thousands of calls and reports from the public who have received this clever spear phishing email below. These have worried recipients because they use detailed personal information such as full name, address and postcode.

The emails claim to act on behalf of a legitimate company and contain a link which could infect your computer with Cryptolocker or Maktub ransomware. 
This spear phishing campaign could constantly evolve, so look out for company variations and remember that is easy for fraudsters to adapt information. To prevent your personal information ending up in the hands of fraudsters read the full article here:

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/alert-fake-debt-collection-and-council-tax-emails-apr16

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If you can‘t activate your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch after installing iOS 9.3

Updating some iOS devices (iPhone 5s and earlier and iPad Air and earlier) to iOS 9.3 can require entering the Apple ID and password used to set up the device in order to complete the software update. If you can't recall your password or can't sign in, try these steps.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT206203

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Making digital communications work for everyone

Ofcom has now published initial conclusions of its review of digital communications, which is designed to make the UK a world-leading digital economy over the next decade and beyond.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/policy/digital-comms-review/DCR_comment.pdf


More detail is available here:

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2016/digital-comms-review-feb16/


Ofcom’s decisions are designed to achieve:

• A choice of networks for consumers and businesses. Openreach must open up its network of telegraph poles and underground tunnels to allow rivals to build their own, advanced fibre networks, connected directly to homes and offices.
• Reform of Openreach. Openreach needs to change, taking its own decisions on budget, investment and strategy, in consultation with the wider industry.
• Better quality of service across the telecoms industry. Ofcom intends to introduce tougher rules on faults, repairs and installations; transparent information on service quality; and automatic compensation for consumers when things go wrong.
• Better broadband and mobile coverage. Ofcom will work with the Government to deliver a new universal right to fast, affordable broadband for every household and business in the UK. We also intend to place new obligations in future spectrum licences to improve rural mobile coverage.

  Plum Communications   Tel: 0161 622 3500 or email:  info@plumcom.co.uk.

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Connected Cities Voucher Scheme Suspended

Just after 5.00pm today 12th October 2015 we received notification that the Connected Vouchers Scheme had been suspended with immediate effect as funds were nearly used.

This means that if you were eligible and have not already submitted your application you have missed the opportunity. Unlike many subsidies this scheme did not require any match funding from the applicant, just a comittment to pay the service rental for at least six months. 

We encouraged many of our customers to apply for the grant, some were not eligible and some chose not to apply but still upgraded. Over the past six months that the scheme has been open in Manchester, Preston, Leeds/Bradford and the Midlands and other cities around the UK we saw a good uptake in customers upgrading to Superfast Broadband.

Customers may still upgrade to Superfast Broadband but the cash incentive to cover the cost of equipment and installation will no longer be available. Upgrading however still makes sense as monthy costs of Fibre to The Cabinet (a frequent technology used by customers upgrading) is not much more than standard ADSL (depending on package and service level chosen).

If you require further information on Superfast Broadband, how to upgrade and what to do with it when you have it please do not hesitate to contact us.

I will leave the final word to one of our customers who upgraded to Fibre to the Cabinet last month: "Please also accept our gratitude for this investment which has massively improved our connectivity and has already provided tangible benefits."


For more information on Superfast Broadband please call:
Plum Communications   Tel: 0161 622 3500 or email:  info@plumcom.co.uk.

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Guide for businesses to the UK Calling changes 1 July 2015

Guide for businesses to the UK Calling changes 1 July 2015

If your organisation uses a ‘non-geographic’ service number for people to contact you – that’s one beginning 08, 09 or 118 – you need to be aware of major changes to how these numbers are charged.

Research has found that telephone users are confused about how much it costs to call service numbers. This means people can lack confidence in these numbers, and sometimes avoid using them.

The new system will introduce greater confidence into this important market by enabling organisations to say how much calls to them will cost. The changes will be implemented on 1 July 2015 under the strapline ‘UK Calling’. The communications regulator Ofcom is working with major phone companies to communicate the changes to consumers.

In future, the cost to the consumer of calling a service number (starting 084, 087, 09 or 118) will be made up of two clear parts:

1. An access charge.

This goes to the caller’s telephone company, charged as pence per minute.

2. A service charge.

This is the remainder; it includes any revenue going to the service provider (that is you, the party being called), as well as revenue going to the ‘terminating call provider’ (or TCP: the company that provides the number to you).

In another change happening at the same time, all Freephone numbers beginning 0800 or 0808 are being made free for consumers to call from mobile phones, just as they usually are from landlines.

What you need to do

Speak to the company that provides your 08 or 09 telephone number. If you haven't done so already, you may wish to discuss with your TCP how the changes will affect your organisation and the way you use service numbers.
Ask them to confirm the service charge for your number or numbers. Your TCP should be able to let you know the service charge linked to the number or numbers you currently use.
Decide if the service charge is suitable. If you are not happy with the service charge linked to the number or numbers you currently use, you may need to consider changing your telephone number(s).
Review all your materials and advertising. If your business or organisation is contacted on a number beginning 084, 087, 09 or 118, you must ensure that your service charge is clearly displayed wherever you advertise or promote that number. The service charge should be prominent and in close proximity to the number itself. The recommended form of wording is:

“Calls cost xp [or xp per minute] plus your phone company's access charge.”

This is likely to mean that your service charge should be provided alongside the related number in all communications directed towards current or potential users of the service, where the use of the number is promoted or advertised. These communications are likely to include as a minimum:

• Any broadcast advertisements on television or radio;
• Any press advertising;
• Any online advertising, including paid-for search listings;
• Advertising bill boards and posters;
• Public notices, press releases and other public relations material which promotes access to the service offered on the numbers, or promotes contact with the organisation using the number;
• Point of sale displays and other fixed advertising;
• Packages, wrappers, labels, tickets, timetables and price lists;
• Service directories; and
• Company websites.

Freephone

If you use a Freephone number to be contacted, you may wish to discuss with your TCP the implications of calls to your organisation becoming free from mobile phones. It is likely that in most cases the cost of receiving Freephone numbers will increase.
Dialling service numbers

Most businesses make outbound calls to 08, 09 or 118 numbers.
The new charging system (the access and service charges) applies to calls made from residential lines and consumer mobile phones. Phone operators will continue to have flexibility over how they charge for these calls from business phones.

Service Charge Caps

Calls to numbers starting 0800 and 0808 will be free to call for consumers. There will be caps on the maximum amount of the service charge for the other affected non-geographic numbers, with the exception of 118 directory-enquiry numbers, with the caps varying according to the number range. The 084 and 087 ranges will be capped at 7p and 13p respectively (per minute or as a fixed fee and including VAT). The 09 range will be capped at £3.60 per minute and £6 per call (including VAT).

Enforcement

PhonepayPlus and the Advertising Standards Authority will be responsible for enforcing the requirements for including service charge information in advertising.
More Information

For more information on how this affects you please contact: Plum Communications Limited 0161 622 3500 or email info@plumcom.co.uk.

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New Code of Practice for Premium Rate Calls

PhonepayPlus launches new Code of Practice 1st July 2015

On 1st July 2015 Phonepay Plus which regulates Premium Rate Numbers in the UK released this statement:

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Following the end of the stand-still period in which European Union member states could comment on the proposed thirteenth edition of the PhonepayPlus Code of Practice (the ‘Code’), PhonepayPlus launches the Code today which takes immediate effect. In addition PhonepayPlus gives notice of various other determinations, and of the publication of various other documents in support of the Code.

The 13th Code of Practice
We issued a statement following consultation on the Code on 26 March 2015, which outlined our final determinations in light of the constructive feedback from 14 parties, including two trade bodies who represent a significant range of stakeholders’ interests. This detailed statement on the Code consultation can be found on our website here.

Ofcom has already signalled that the 13th Code proposals meet the tests set out in the Communications Act 2003 and it has today given its final approval to the Code following the EU stand-still period. Ofcom's statement on the Code can be found here.

The key changes that you will find in the 13th Code are:

·          A new rule requiring providers to possess any qualifications and/or licences necessary in law before operating a PRS.

·          An updated rule on the requirement not to take advantage of vulnerable consumers.

·         The removal of any spending caps currently contained within the Code or prior permission regimes - with the amounts and actions associated with them to be set outside the Code.

·         The raising of the “forced release” cap on live chat and sexual entertainment services from £30 to £45 per call (incl. VAT) – with new requirements to inform consumers clearly when they have spent £15 (incl. VAT) and require them to clearly opt in to continue when they have spent £30 (incl. VAT).

·         The raising of the single purchase cap, and monthly subscription cap, on Children’s Services from £3 to £5 (incl. VAT), and a new purchase cap for Children’s Services of £20 (incl. VAT) per service in any given billing cycle.

·         The removal of a universal requirement for all PRS to supply and promote a non-PRS UK phone number for consumer enquiries (but to maintain appropriate and effective free or low-cost complaints processes).

·         The introduction of Special Conditions to apply to defined higher risk service types – these will replace existing “prior permissions” regimes.

Notice of caps, thresholds and actions associated with section 3.12
The removal of spending caps and other amounts and actions previously found in the body of the Code has been made possible by a new framework for imposing such caps, thresholds and actions as required. This is set out at section 3.12 of the Code.
PhonepayPlus published the first Notice of caps, thresholds and actions on 26 March 2015 and the requirements set out in that Notice take effect as of today. The Notice is found on our website here: Notice of actions and thresholds under paragraph 3.12

Special Conditions Notices
The changes to the Code also led to a full consultation on new Special Conditions for a range of service types that PhonepayPlus considered to pose a higher level of risk. The framework for Special Conditions is found in section 3.11 of the Code, and the introduction of Special Conditions is to make sure those risks are managed and achieve high compliance standards. 

The proposals were set out in a consultation paper published on 31 March 2015: Guidance and new Special conditions associated with the 13th edition of the Code of Practice.

Following consultation PhonepayPlus is publishing ten (10) Notices of Special Conditions. The Special Conditions Notices take effect as of today.
They can be found on our website here. 

Implementation of changes with a technical element
Following dialogue with industry stakeholders in relation to the changes taking effect as of 1 July 2015, there are a small number of regulatory standards that are being introduced for the first time and that require technical developments. PhonepayPlus will look to collaborate with industry members to make sure all technical standards are fully implemented before 1 August 2015. During this period PhonepayPlus will not take enforcement action in relation to these standards. A list of standards to which this transition period applies is set out below:

·         Reminders provided in call after £15 has been spent;

·         Consent to further charges in call after £30 has been spent;

·         Receipt requirements set out in PPV2 (see Notice of Special Conditions for (i) ‘Pay-Per-View services’).

Guidance in support of the 13th Code
PhonepayPlus issues Guidance in support of its Code of Practice to assist people in understanding its expectations and help industry achieve high compliance standards. A full review of Guidance took place during the Code Review Project, and we set out our review findings in the consultation paper published on 31 March 2015.

PhonepayPlus proposed changes to seven pieces of Guidance. Following consultation some amendments have been made, including the decision to separate the advice given on ‘Privacy’ from that dealing with ‘Consent to charge’. These changes are explained in our Final Statement on Guidance and Special conditions. 

Today we have published a full collection of Guidance in support of the 13th Code on our website. Links to relevant documents can be found here. 

The full collection of Guidance includes both those items consulted upon earlier this year and the existing Guidance which continues to offer effective advice for compliance with the 13th Code. Those items of Guidance that have been transferred across to continue to support the 13th Code have had minor factual amendments to present correct information and clear paragraph numbering from the new Code.

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Businesses need faster broadband

Businesses need faster broadband

Grants up to £3000 are available for qualifying businesses under the Super Connected Cities Scheme.
The scheme has expanded to almost 60 cities including Greater Manchester.

If you are not in Greate M and preston, do not worry other areas are included,
We can check your postcode to see if you are eligible
Max £3000 per business, less for different connection types.

Call 01616223500 for help and advice and details of grants available

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We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2015. 

 

If you require service throughout the holiday period you can contact us on the usual numbers and at the same email accounts.

 

We thank you for your support throughout 2014 and look forwarding to speaking to you again in the New Year. 

 

On behalf of all at Plum Communications we send you Best Wishes and the Season's Compliments.

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