premium service charges
Premium services are content or live advice services accessed over the phone, by messaging (eg. SMS) or via a data connection from your mobile. Examples of premium services include adult & psychic lines, weather services, voting lines for TV shows or competitions, chat services, ringtones and exam result hotlines.
Numbers for these lines usually start with 188X, 19X 190X or an international number, eg. 0011. They can also be accessed through another provider by dialing the override code followed by the premium phone number.
how can i be charged?
iiNet do not provide any premium call services, and we do not add any additional charges for dialing premium services. Premium charges that appear on your bill are simply passed on from the third-party service provider.
There are a number of ways in which charges can be calculated:
- Flat rate - where you are charged a fixed amount for each call you make.
- Timed rate - where calls are charged based on time (per minute or other time unit specified by the supplier). A fixed setup or connection fee may also apply. The average cost of a premium service can range from several cents to a few dollars per minute, depending on supplier rate.
- Calls from mobile phones - if you call from a mobile phone, additioanl costs such as air time may apply.
- By data volume - where you are charged according to the amount of data downloaded.
liability for cost
You are responsible for the cost of any calls made form you phone, including calls made by family and friends, even without your knowledge. However, you may not be liable for charges:
- resulting from a fault or billing error
- where there was insufficient or no warning that premium charges would apply
- where the service did not comply with applicable industry code
- which arose due to fraud (eg. if your phone was unlawfully used)
You have certain rights to dispute premium call charges, and in some case, your liability to pay for these charges may only apply following an investigation by the relevant provider and/or the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
how can i lessen the risk of high, unexpected bills?
Before using a premium service, always check the costs incurred by the provider. It also helps to keep track of how many calls you make, how long they last, and how often you access these services - you can monitor calls on your iiNet phone service via Toolbox. Costs can add up quickly, and failure to pay a legitimate bill could affect your phone service and even credit rating.
If you have an iiNet phone service, you can bar access to some or all premium services by changing the network settings on your account. Please contact us on 13 19 17 to update your settings. Preselect customers are required to contact their local call carrier to change network settings.
Your computer modem may dial an international number using internet dialer software to access premium content. This is known as .internet dumping. and can lead to unexpected high bills. Read the fact sheet on internet dumping and how to protect yourself, provided by the Australian Communications Authority.
concerned about your use of premium services?
Contact us anytime to discuss your concerns about premium services and/or the costs incurred. If we are unable to resolve things for you, we will pass you onto the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) - the industry's final resort for complaints about telephone and internet services.
Freecall: 1800 062 058
Freefax: 1800 630 614
TTY: 1800 675 692
Translator and Interpreter Service: 131 450
Email: tio@tio.com.au
For complaints about the content of a 190 service, you can contact the Telephone Information Services Standards Council (TISSC) - they investigate complaints about message content and advertising of 190 premium services.
Phone: 1300 139 955
Fax: (02) 9211 4447
Email: tissc@tissc.com.au
You can also contact the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) directly for information on telecommunications issues. The ACA is a Commonwealth Government agency responsible for regulating the telecommunications industry.
Phone (in Melbourne): (03) 9963 6988
Phone (outside Melboune): 1300 850 115
Fax: (03) 9963 6989
