Premium SMS Services

Premium SMS services or 19 SMS services are information and entertainment services that deliver various forms of content to your mobile phone. They can be accessed by making a phone call, sending a text message, or requesting them via the internet or data connection from your mobile phone.

These services are created by a content supplier and delivered over Telstra's mobile network. They are called 'Premium SMS Services' because you buy them using your mobile phone, you receive them on your mobile phone, and you will be charged a premium cost for them.

NOTE: Premium SMS services are more likely than not to be subscription services. Whenever you are buying content using a 19 number - such as a ringtone - you will in all likelihood be signing up to receive more than one and to pay for more than one.

Examples of some fun, useful and informative Premium SMS services provided by third parties include:

• psychic and horoscope lines
• weather services
• voting lines for television shows or competition lines
• dating and chat services
• ringtones and fax back services
• exam result hotlines and other corporate applications.

Premium SMS services provided by third parties other than Telstra are offered via numbers usually starting with '190' and '19'.

You can access some of these services through another provider by dialling their override code followed by the service number.

Premium SMS services offered directly by Telstra can be accessed online or via BigPond® Mobile Services with various content services available through your mobile by dialling #100# or sending an SMS request to '176'.

1. "I sent a text message requesting one ringtone/wallpaper/joke. Now I am:
   • receiving a ringtone/wallpaper/jokes each month - and getting charged for it."
   • getting charged each month although I only requested and received one ringtone/wallpaper/joke."
   • getting charged monthly and I did not receive a ringtone/wallpaper/joke."
2. "I have sent several text messages to 'STOP' but I continue to get charged."
3. "I never requested a ringtone/wallpaper/joke and am being charged."

Solutions: The first step to stop further messages is to reply to the received ringtone/wallpaper/joke and type in the text:'STOP RINGTONES' or 'STOP JOKES' or just 'STOP'.

If this attempt to unsubscribe has been successful you should receive a confirmation text message.

If you are receiving Premium SMS services from multiple providers, you will need to send a 'STOP' message to each provider.

If after sending 'STOP' messages, you continue to receive the messages, contact the provider directly. The contact number for the provider is in the SMS you sent the 'STOP' reply to and can also be found on your Telstra mobile bill under 'Separate Purchases'. Examples are set out below:

On a mobile account the charges may appear as:

Separate Purchases

Costs of separate premium SMS services

Seq	Date	Time	Provider	Purchases	Quantity / Units	$
2	26 Dec	15:03	Provider A	ABC 19947253	1 item	0.55
3	09 Jan	15:03	Provider B	XYZ 19947253	1 item	0.55
				Total for Separate Purchases		1.10

On a Single Bill (multiple services billed together) the charges will appear as:

Separate Purchases

costings of separate purchases of Premium SMS services

	Seq	Provider	Purchases	$
MOK154I	2	Provider A	191999	1.10
MOK154G	1	Provider B	19742226	0.55
			Total for Separate Purchases	1.65

Note: There are times when a Single Bill may only display a summary of Separate Purchases.

If you have a Pre-Paid service and you are unsure of how your credit is being spent, you can call 125 8888 (a free call from your Telstra Pre-Paid service) and ask for a list of your charges. This list will contain the provider's contact information.

Some providers can supply a copy of requests received and items they have sent to customers (via fax or email). This can be useful in comparing subscriptions that have been requested and the 'STOP' messages sent, confirming whether the correct cancellation codes have been sent through.

 

Telstra provides a number of service options such as barring and monthly call charge caps to help you manage your Premium SMS services usage. You can request a barring code on your service that will prevent the ability to subscribe to these services or a spend limit for Premium SMS services can be placed on the account which will help you to manage your costs.

Please call 125 111* for further information.

Here are some helpful tips to remember before you opt-in to any service:

• CHECK what you are actually purchasing
• CHECK the cost of the service
• CHECK if it is a subscription or one-off
• CHECK if your phone is compatible
• CHECK the terms and conditions
• ASK questions if you are unsure
• Keep RECORDS of what you opt-in / opt-out for
• Text 'STOP' at any time to cancel.