H EETT clarifies everything that applies to their use 5-digit numbers And the increased billing services via SMS.
Πbelow we have in detail the full post that was made on its official page National Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT).
Increased billing services via SMS, using 5-digit numbers
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Service categories & number strings |
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Categories of services |
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| Increased billing services via SMS relate to the following categories of services. The charge is increased, ie higher than that for sending a simple SMS. | ||||
| · Votes
· Competitions · Purchases (eg 'download' of games, ringtone, video) · Participation in video games by phone · Adult services |
· Weather forecast
· Astrology / paper divination · Sport News · Gambling |
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Numbers for providing increased billing services via SMS |
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| The surcharge services are provided through specific numbers:
· 190XX-196XX · 54XXX · 198XX (Providing financial support to non-profit organizations. Available via SMS or telephone conversation) Also, from the 14XXXX series, increased billing services are provided through telephone conversation (voice services). |
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| Note: Not all 5-digit increased billing numbers
Some services do not fall into the category of overcharging. These are services of particular importance for society as a whole, e.g. providing immediate assistance with health issues, roadside assistance, citizen service, fault reporting. The charge is non-fixed, is not included in the mobile / fixed telephony plans and varies from case to case. The maximum charge does not exceed the urban one, while some services are provided free of charge. The following series and services belong to this category: · 10XXX-11XXXX: Immediate assistance services for health issues, declaration of damage to public benefit organizations, KTEO, roadside assistance and other services of special importance for the whole community. · 15ΧΧΧ: Contact with Ministries and Local Government Organizations. · 18ΧΧΧ: For commercial use, e.g. bank service lines, oil / food order. · 138ΧΧ: Telephone subscriber service (possibility to call from all networks, reporting the charge at the beginning of the call). · 137ΧΧ: Report a fault in a telephony company network (the call is free and is made by all networks). · 12ΧΧΧ-13ΧΧΧ: Other services of telephony providers (possibility of calling only within the network). For detailed information on charges, consult the price list of the telephone company to which you are a subscriber. |
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Charging methods |
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| Some services require registration, while others are provided without registration. | ||||
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Without registration |
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| You are charged by sending an SMS
This feature is provided for services such as, participation in competitions or voting, financial support to non-profit organizations. · Send a chargeable SMS to request the service. · Then, you receive a one-time and free SMS with the content of your choice. |
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By registration |
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| You will be charged for receiving SMS
A condition is your registration in these services, which are provided, as the case may be, with or without subscription. |
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| Step 1: Registration process | ||||
| Step 1:
Enter a number online or send SMS |
Step 2:
Receive informative SMS |
Step 3:
Send consent SMS |
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| Enter your phone number on the website, according to the company instructions or send an SMS.
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You receive an informative SMS immediately regarding:
• The name and cost of the service. • The name of the company. • The available helpline. Companies must have a helpline with a local charge. |
Send your consent, via incomplete SMS, within 5 minutes from the time of sending the informative SMS,
otherwise the registration is canceled. You will not be charged until the registration process is completed. |
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| step 2 | ||||
| Option 1: With subscription | Option 2: No subscription | |||
| You receive on a regular basis (eg monthly) a fixed number of chargeable SMS with the service of your choice. | You receive a one-time debit SMS with the service of your choice. | |||
| Step 1: Informative SMS | Step 1: Informative SMS | |||
| The company informs you about:
· The service · The cost · How to delete |
The message contains information about the service and the cost. | |||
| Step 2: Billing SMS | Step 2: Billing SMS | |||
| Receiving the SMS activates access to the service.
If the total monthly value exceeds 20 euros / service (plus VAT), the company asks for your consent via SMS. |
Via a chargeable SMS, you receive the service you have requested.
To retrieve the service, you must repeat the registration process. |
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| Step 3: Monthly reminder | ||||
| The company sends you on a monthly basis a reminder that you have subscribed to a subscription service (unless you have already unsubscribed). | ||||
Measures to protect against unwanted charges |
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Find out before signing up for paid services |
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| · Before registering, carefully read the terms of service you are interested in and find out about the cost. Over-the-counter service providers post price lists of the services they provide on their websites.
· Be adequately informed about services offered or advertised through electronic / print media. In any promotion, companies must clearly state the charge and in particular, the pricing per message, the total number of messages required to provide the service and the total maximum cost of the service (including VAT). Also, in TV shows where increased billing services are shown via SMS for participation in contests / prizes, the amount of the charge must be indicated throughout the show, in a fixed position and not in a rolling caption. Be informed before you accept to receive SMS for promotions, as they may lead to subscription to increased billing services. |
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Protect your device from malware |
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| · Install a special anti-virus program on your device if it does not already have one. Select the program exclusively from the official "appstore". You also regularly "download" updates to upgrade your device.
· Do not override the device security settings, otherwise it may become vulnerable to malware. · "Download" applications only from official "appstore". Please read the terms carefully before granting the application the right to access and use the personal data (eg phone numbers, SMS, photos) that you have stored on your mobile phone. Pay attention to the handling of pop-up windows on your mobile phone while browsing the Internet, as they may lead to subscription to overcharged services. |
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Check your phone bill |
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| · Regularly check the charges in your account or the consumption in your prepaid.
· Contact directly the mobile telephony company to which you are a subscriber, in case: o Find unjustified charges on your mobile phone bill or an unjustified reduction of the balance on the prepaid phone. o Receive SMS messages from five-digit codes, which refer to subscription to paid services, without your own action / consent. |
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If you wish not to receive increased billing services via SMS |
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| Access to high-cost billing services is enabled on mobile phones. Find out from your mobile service provider about the possibility of blocking chargeable incoming SMS messages from 5-digit numbers. You can also enable blocking through the providers' applications. | ||||
Complaint / complaint procedure |
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Contact the company that provides the service by phone |
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| Contact the company that provides the surcharge service, by calling its helpline / complaints, in cases such as the following:
· The company did not adequately inform you about the terms of service. · You receive increased billing services without your consent. · Challenge your account charges for surcharge services. Overcharged service providers must have a helpline, which must be a local charge. Through the line, you must be able to contact a company representative directly, at least during business days and hours. The line should refer to the announcements / advertisements of the companies. |
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If you dispute charges, ask your telephone company for a billing analysis |
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| If you are in charge of overcharging services, ask the telephone company to send you, for the period you are interested in, the enriched Minimum Detailed Charging Level (EEAX), in printed or electronic form. The EEC is provided free of charge. Check if there are charges for these services. | ||||
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If the issue is not resolved, file a written complaint |
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| If after telephone contact with the company providing the increased billing service, the problem is not resolved, you can submit a written complaint / complaint:
· Or to the company providing the increased billing service. · Or to the telephone company to which you are a subscriber. The company must review the complaint and respond in writing, within an exclusive period of 20 days. In case of violation of the legislation, the user is entitled to request in writing credit of his account with the corresponding amounts. If after the written answer, the problem is not resolved, you can contact in writing, as appropriate, the bodies listed below. |
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Responsibilities of EETT |
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| Η EETT regulates the framework of providing increased billing services through 5-digit / 10-digit numbers. Specifically, it defines issues such as the registration process, the monthly fee limit and the ways of informing users, in order to safeguard their rights. It also monitors compliance with the regulatory framework by increased billing service providers. The audits it carries out are carried out ex officio or upon submission of complaints, and, where necessary, administrative sanctions are imposed.
It is pointed out that EETT is not responsible for the content of the specific services, the pricing policy and fraud issues. To submit a complaint to EETT, click here. Co-competent bodies: · Communications Confidentiality Authority (ADAE) · Personal Data Protection Authority (APDPH) · Hellenic Police Cybercrime Prosecution Directorate |
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