Statement: The future regulation of phone-paid services

Statement published 25 October 2025 

Consumers can access a range of interactive services via their landline and mobile phones, computers and digital TV. Where these services are charged for via the customer's telephone bill, they are known as phone-paid services. They include charity donations by text, music streaming, broadcast competitions, directory enquiries, voting on TV talent shows and in-app purchases. Those services are also commonly referred to as premium rate services (PRS).

This Statement sets out our decisions in effect to transfer the regulatory functions of the PSA to Ofcom, including associated changes to the regulation of controlled PRS (CPRS). Along with these decisions, we have decided to withdraw our approval for Code 15 and replace it with our own set of rules in an order that we have made under section 122 of the Act (the PRS Order). When the PRS Order comes into force on 1 February 2025, Ofcom will assume day-to-day responsibility as regulator and enforcer of PRS regulation.