Premium Services information guide

What are Premium Services?

Premium SMS, Premium MMS and Premium Voice Services are messages, photos or calls that usually originate from numbers beginning with ‘19’ (Premium Services). Some examples are:

Premium Services are advertised in all types of media including television, radio, newspapers, magazines and the Internet (including Mobile Internet). They are generally charged at higher rate than standard messages, photos or calls.

How do I access Premium Services?

Generally you will need to dial the number advertised or SMS a phrase or word to a number usually beginning with a ‘19’, or if you’re on the Internet, entering your mobile number into a website which is advertising Premium Services.

How much do Premium Services cost?

The cost varies considerably from provider to provider, depending on the kind of content you’re looking to purchase, so it’s very important to look at the cost and pricing model you’re signing up for. You could be charged anywhere between your standard text message rate and $6.60 per message.

Premium Services can be charged as follows:

• Flat Rate: You pay a fixed amount for each call made, or SMS sent to and/or received from the Premium Service
• Subscription: You pay an ongoing subscription with associated charges per week/month etc or by content
• Joining Fees: You may also be charged an additional joining fee as part of an ongoing subscription
• Timed Rate: Premium Calls may be timed and charged at a per minute rate or one off drop charge
• Data Volume: Where you are charged according to how many kilobytes of data you download or consume

How do I unsubscribe from a specific Premium Service?

Reply back to a Premium SMS or Premium MMS that you receive with the keyword ‘STOP’

If this unsubscribe attempt is successful, you will generally receive a FREE confirmation SMS informing you of this. If you’re subscribed to more than one Premium Service (from different ‘19’ short codes), you’ll need to reply back with ‘STOP’ to each one separately.

Sending ‘STOP’ will not subscribe you to any new services.

If you are still receiving Premium SMS and/or Premium MMS messages 24 hours after requesting to unsubscribe, you should contact the Premium Services content provider directly. Their customer service number would have been advertised with the number itself or can be found on www.19sms.com.au by entering in the shortcode you have received billing messages from. Alternatively, call Virgin Mobile on 1300 555 100 and we’ll assist you in finding their details.

Barring Premium SMS and Premium or MMS Services on your mobile

How can I bar Premium SMS and Premium MMS Services?

As of 1 July, 2010, Virgin Mobile will be providing Members with the ability to bar Premium SMS and Premium MMS services.

You can already bar Premium Voice numbers by calling Customer Service on 1300 555 100 any day, 7am to 11pm AEST.

You can now request the barring of all Premium SMS and Premium MMS services for free simply by dialling 275 from the handset you wish to bar and following the prompts, or by calling us on 1300 555 100 any day, 7am to 11pm AEST.

Important note: Barring Premium SMS & Premium MMS messages will prevent you accessing ALL Premium SMS or Premium MMS services or from being able to interact with any ‘19’ short codes even if the service does not attract a cost.

Barring Premium SMS & Premium MMS messages will prevent you being charged for any ‘19’ short codes however it is still possible that free ‘19’ shortcode marketing messages may be received. If you wish to stop receiving these messages please contact the Content Provider’s help desk. This number should be located within the text message or you can find it at www.19sms.com.au. Alternatively you can call Virgin Mobile Customer Service on 1300 555 100 and we’ll assist you in finding their contact details.

You will still be able to purchase content on the Vibe portal such as ringtones, wallpapers, games etc and other exciting content.

How long will it take to bar Premium SMS & Premium MMS Services?

Requests to bar Premium SMS and Premium MMS services will be take affect by 6pm the following business day. At this time, you will no longer be able to interact with or be billed by numbers prefixed ‘19’.

Is there a cost to bar Premium SMS & Premium MMS?

There is no charge for barring Premium SMS & Premium MMS services. It is free to call 275 to bar Premium SMS and Premium MMS services but calling Customer Service costs a flat 25 cents.

Who’s responsible for paying?

Charges will either appear on your monthly bill or be deducted from your Pre-Paid balance. The account-holder will be responsible for paying all charges incurred, as well as charges for Premium Services, including those incurred by other people such as family and friends (whether with or without the account holder’s knowledge). Virgin Mobile strongly recommends the use of barring these services if you are concerned about monthly ‘bill-shock’. If you choose to bar Premium Services, your access to all services accessed via texting or MMSing a number starting with 19 will be restricted. This will not affect calling or texting other numbers.

Account holders may not be liable for charges when:

• they resulted from a fault or billing error
• there was insufficient or no warning that premium rate charges would apply
• the service did not comply with the TISSC Code of Practice (see below)
• the service did not comply with relevant legislation or regulation
• the charges arose due to fraud and where you have notified us of the problem.

Liability might, in some cases, only be determined following an investigation by a relevant provider and/or the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO – see below). Customers also have the right to dispute premium call charges.

Premium Services Hints & Tips

Always read the Terms & Conditions first!

As you are liable for the costs incurred, it is vital that you understand the fine print of any Premium Service you opt in to receive. Look at the advertising for the service and be sure that you are informed of the upfront cost and whether there are any ongoing obligations such as subscription costs or promotional messaging from the Service Provider. If you have any questions, you can also find out the customer service details of the content provider here should you need them: www.19sms.com.au

Take note of Spend Messages sent to your phone

Premium Service content providers are required to let you know when you have spent $30 on a specific service by sending you a free message. Non-subscription services need only send this message to you when you have passed $30 of spend in a given month; subscription services will inform you of each $30 amount spent regardless of the time it has taken. By replying ‘STOP’ to this message will enable you to cancel this subscription service at any time.

Read your bill carefully

If you have a Post-Paid (monthly) account with Virgin Mobile then your bill will show you how much you have spent on Premium Services. See the FAQ below regarding how Premium Services are presented on your bill. If you have a Pre-Paid account then you can always call 555 to check your balance after sending or receiving Premium SMS or Premium MMS messages.

Worried about Premium SMS or Premium MMS billing? Keep the SMS/MMS on your phone

If you’re planning on enquiring about a Premium Service, try to keep the SMS/MMS on your phone. It may assist you in discussing the service with the Premium Service content provider or Virgin Mobile Customer Service. Deleting the SMS/MMS does not make any difference to charging.

Educate your kids about Premium Services

If you’ve got a child or teenager with a mobile phone, take time out to explain Premium Services to them and the risks around costly bills and unwanted subscriptions. They may respond reactively to advertising they see on TV or in a magazine, without fully understanding of the cost implication.

Consider providing children and teenagers with a Pre-Paid service. This will protect them from receiving an unexpectedly high bill, and even if they have used all of their call credits you are still able to call them. If they do have a Post-Paid account, make sure you review their bill with them each month.

Consider removing some features from your child’s phone service. For example you can turn off access to making international calls, or you can bar Premium SMS & Premium MMS and/or bar Premium SMS and Premium MMS charges by either dialling the shortcode 275 from their phone and following the prompts, or by calling Virgin Mobile Customer Service on 1300 555 100 where a helpful representative will organise for Premium SMS and Premium MMS services to be barred.

Keep your phone in a safe place

As you are liable for the calls, SMS and other purchases billed to your Virgin Mobile Account, keep your mobile in a safe place to minimise the risk of another person using your phone without your knowledge.

Premium Services: Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Q. How much are the Premium SMS & Premium MMS messages costing me?

Any SMS/MMS you send to and/or receive from a number that starts with ‘19’ is likely to be billed (unless it starts with the words ‘FreeMsg’). The cost of individual messages can vary from your standard text message rate up to $6.60. While you may have just sent one text to perhaps purchase a ringtone or enter a competition, there is a chance that you’ve signed up to a subscription with ongoing billings. Upon signup, all subscription services should send a ‘Welcome’ SMS message advising of the service and all associated charges and ask you to confirm by return SMS before you are billed.

Q. Why am I getting Premium SMS or Premium MMS messages? How did I subscribe?

If you are receiving SMS or MMS messages from a ‘19’ number, even if you are not sending messages back to them, you may be on a subscription service. They are usually initiated by sending an SMS to a ‘19’ number to agree to take up the service. Alternatively, they might present a web page where you enter your mobile number, get sent an SMS with a PIN which you must then enter back into the web page to confirm your subscription. Some subscription services are taken up making a voice call to an automated system from your mobile, or taking up an offer on a voice call made to your mobile.

Q. How do Premium SMS & Premium MMS Services appear on my bill?

Premium SMS and Premium MMS charges will show up on your bill under the section “The Vibe & Other Stuff”.

Q. How do I identify Premium Services Charges on my Pre-Paid account?

If you have a Pre-Paid account with Virgin Mobile then you can always call 555 to check your balance after sending or receiving Premium SMS or Premium MMS messages.

Q. I thought that I stopped Premium SMS or Premium MMS messages but now they have started again?

You may be receiving free marketing messages from a service that you once belonged to, which may have been part of the terms and the conditions of the service you opted into. These messages should begin with the phrase “FreeMsg”.

If you’ve already barred Premium SMS and Premium MMS but you are still receiving marketing messages and you wish to stop receiving these messages, please contact the Content Provider’s help desk. This number should be located within the text message or you can find it at www.19sms.com.au. Alternatively you can call Virgin Mobile Customer Service on 1300 555 100 and we’ll assist you in finding their contact details.

Premium Services Complaints:

Q. If I want to raise a complaint in relation to a Premium SMS or Premium MMS service what should I do?

Your first step should be to raise your complaint with the content provider who supplied you with the Premium Service. To find their contact details go to www.19sms.com.au and enter in the shortcode you have received billing messages from.

If you are unable to resolve your complaint with the content provider, please contact Virgin Mobile on 1300 550 100 any day 7am to 11pm AEST.

If you are unsuccessful in resolving your complaint with the content provider or Virgin Mobile, you can also seek assistance from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), which is an office of last resort. The TIO will only investigate complaints if you have already attempted to resolve the complaint with the content provider initially, followed by Virgin Mobile Customer Service.

Links for More Information:

19SMS – Your Guide to Mobile Premium Services
www.19sms.com.au

You Can On A Mobile
www.youcanonamobile.com.au

Communications Alliance
www.commsalliance.com.au

Str8tlk – Australian Mobile Telecommunications Authority
www.str8tlk.amta.org.au

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
www.tio.com.au

Telephone Information Services Standards Council
www.tissc.com.au

ACMA – Mobile Phones: Child Safety Checklist
www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100694

ACMA– Mobile Premium Services FAQs
www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD..PC/pc=PC_311206

Still having difficulty?

We’re here for you. Call us on 1300 550 100 any day 7am to 11pm AEST and we’ll help you out.