The Group of European Regulators of Audiotex and Videotex services issued a Communiqué to the meeting of Study Group I of the ITU in February 1996 expressing members’ concerns over the development and availability of ‘offshore’ direct dial audiotex services which are being advertised and promoted in clear breach of the national Codes of Practice which have been developed to regulate the content and advertising of similar domestic services.
The first Communiqué - the text of which is attached - called for Study Group I of the ITU to consider ways in which the ITU can enable those organisations in Europe responsible for regulating services to apply consumer protection measures to ‘offshore’ direct dial audiotex services in the same way and with the same effect, as those applied to services operating within their territories.
Since February, there has been contact with the ITU Study Group in the form of correspondence exchanged between Mr Alan Cabrera, the former Deputy-Chairman of SGI, and Baroness Dean, Chairman of ICSTIS (on behalf of the Group of European Audiotex Regulators). However, despite this there has been no further action.
It is now reported that Study Group I is to be disbanded and it’s work programme (either in part or in whole) will be handed over to Study group II.
The Group of European Regulators, meeting in Paris in September 1996, is concerned that as a result of this reorganisation, the issue of ‘offshore’ direct dial audiotex services may not be given the priority which it deserves and, worst still, may be lost from the agenda altogether.
Therefore, the group calls upon the ITU, and delegates at the forthcoming WTSC, to agree the following four point plan:
That the ITU -recognises the existence of public concerns and complaints, arising from the content, advertising and high bills resulting from calls to ‘offshore’ direct dial services and which continue to be expressed in a number of countries.
That as a result, the issue of international premium rate services will continue to remain on the agenda of an appropriate Study group within the ITU for the forthcoming period.
That the means will be allocated to an ITU Study Group at the earliest opportunity to permit continuing research into ITU members’ concerns over such services and into ways in which ITU members can collaborate with one another more effectively to enable regulators at a national level (such as members of the Group of European Audiotex Regulators) to apply the consumer protection and content measures which have been established within their administrations.
That in taking forward consideration of this issue, the ITU’s objectives will be focused on enabling calls to international premium rate services to operate in accordance with the rules and standards developed in the countries to which they are being marketed.
On Friday 23 February 1996 ICSTIS, the UK regulator, hosted a meeting of European audiotex regulators. Representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the UK attended.
One of the main issues addressed at the meeting was the growing concern among regulators at the rapid development of ‘off-shore’ direct dial services mainly dominated by adult material. Many of these services are provided through network operators outside Europe.
Concerns voiced at the meeting were based on the nature of promotional material and service content. There also appears to be evidence of unauthorised use, high telephone bills and resulting bad debt for the network operator. All of these indicate that an increased level of protection is required both in the interests of consumers and in the interests of the future development of services and the industry
The majority of European regulators have no regulatory powers over these services which are managing , in many cases, to by-pass strict country controls that have been put in place to deal with similar concerns raised by domestic audiotex services.
The meeting of European regulators urges Study Group I of the ITU, which is considering this issue at it’s February meeting, to examine ways in which the ITU can enable audiotex regulatory authorities to apply consumer protection measures to ‘off-shore’ services, in the same way and with the same effect as those applied to similar services operating from within their territories.
The European regulators would welcome a report of Study Group I’s deliberations and the recommendations which will be made to the meeting of the WTSC in Autumn 1996
Appendix I : ICSTIS Submission