About Premium Rate Services
Premium Rate Services or phone-paid services are any content, goods or services that are charged to your phone bill. They include:
- Calls - service charges for calls to premium-rated numbers and numbers, for example numbers beginning with 09, 118, 083, 084, 085, 087, and 070, including live chat services such as psychic services. And calls to voice short code numbers, usually 5 or 7 numbers in length and beginning with 6 or 8.
- Messages - premium-rated SMS received to your phone for services such as TV and radio competitions and charity donations. These numbers usually begin with 6, 7,or 8.
- Charge-to-bill services – services that you purchase from a seller, but charge to your EE phone account, such as music subscription services, gambling, app stores purchases such as those from Apple, Google, Microsoft and Sony.
Find out more about Non Geographic Numbers Charges and Costs and charging products and services to your bill.
How much can I spend on Premium Rate Services?
There are limits on what you can spend on Premium Rate Services. The spending limits are a maximum of:
- £40 in a single transaction.
- £240 in a billing period. This monthly limit is a combined limit across all Premium Rate Services.
The limits are a requirement of the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2), which is enforced by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
How will I know when I am close to my Premium Rate Service Limits?
We'll send you separate texts to notify you when you reach 80% of your £40 transaction limit and £240 monthly limit. If you are on a call when this happens, you’ll also hear an audible warning.
Please note: Audible notifications are only supported when in the UK and not when roaming overseas.
If you reach the limit or the next minute of your call would exceed the limits, the call will be disconnected immediately.
Also, you will be unable to make a call if the first minute of that call will exceed the limits.
What happens if I reach the Premium Rate Services limit?
The experience will vary depending on the service being used and whether you have reached your £40 transaction limit or your £240 monthly limit. We will notify you by text message to let you know what has happened and why.
- Call - if you reach the £40 transaction limit while on a premium rate call, your call will be disconnected, but you can still spend the remainder of your £240 monthly limit by re-dialling.
- Call - if you reach the £240 monthly limit while on a premium rate call, your call will be disconnected. You will have to wait until your next billing period starts before you can use premium rate services again.
- SMS - if the SMS you are due to receive would cost more than the £40 transaction limit, or cause you to exceed the £240 monthly limit (even when the SMS would be for less than £40), the message to you will not be delivered.
- Charge to Bill – if the payment you are trying to make would exceed the £40 transaction limit or cause you to exceed the £240 monthly limit (even when the payment is for less than £40), the payment will not be permitted. You will need to wait until your next billing period starts before you can use Premium Rate Services again.
Can I increase my limit?
No, the £40 transaction limit and £240 monthly limit can’t be increased or removed. This is a requirement of the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2), which is enforced by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- If you reach £40 while on a premium rate call, the call will be disconnected.
- You can redial and still spend the remaining amount of your £240 limit in your billing period.
- If you reach your £240 limit you must wait until your next billing period when your £240 limit will be reset.
Need more help?
Some of our customers use Premium Rate Services repeatedly and incur high charges. There can be many reasons for this, including loneliness, bereavement or addiction. If you find that you or someone you know is struggling, here are some organisations that may be able to help.
Step Change
Free debt advice and money management. Call 0800 138 111 or visit www.stepchange.org.
Gamblers Anonymous
Help for people who have a compulsive gambling problem. Visit gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
Age UK
Advice and friendship for the elderly and their carers. Call 0800 678 1602 or visit ageuk.org.uk.
Samaritans
Emotional support for anyone struggling to cope. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
Bereavement Support
Support and guidance to help you through your grief. Visit bereavement.co.uk.