why should i pay £1.50 a min to talk to somebody live on air ?????

[i_spam]

Somebody might be able to put me in the right direction with this. If you phone a premium number for a chatshow phone in(live) can you be put on hold for 25 minutes and then be disconnected without having a say so is this legal or is it illegal etc ? As when you phone and say i want to talk to :guest. they put you on hold forever. it has happenned with someone and am just wandering how many times this is happening with this channel in particular ?

[buzby]

The secret is to appreciate that the reason that the number is Premium Rate and the sole purpose is for it to make money for the content provider. As to there being an obligation to perform a service, they might or might not be one, it can also depend on your place in the queue, whether the programme producer likes your call profile, or if there's an 'r' in the month. The Regulator for permium lines is ICSTIS (RegTel for Ireland), and their website provides useful information, but only you can deside whether you get good value for the money you pay to contact them, and if you don't it is better to spend it elsewhere.

[demon_x_slash]

Is the answer 'Ghostbusters II'?

[lindylou1974]

lol

[ladybird17]

There was something about this sort of thing on Channel 4 news last night - although it related to the quiz channels on the TV - but much the same principle. It might be worth looking at Channel 4 website, there may be something about it on there. And apparently, you start paying for the call as soon as it starts ringing - and in some cases only one in 6000 callers actually get through. That's a lot of dosh being picked up from the pople calling in!

[wykeite]

IMHO premium lines are grossly abused. Would I consider paying £1.50 per minute to contribute to a television programme? No resoundingly! If they really want sensible input then they will call you back. It really seems to be a money making exercise by companies that are unable to attract viewers by providing quality content result in less advertising revenue and the resultant downward spiral.

I'm amazed that a call could be charged whilst the phone is still ringing, surely for this to happen there must be a connection made?

I'd love Channel 4 to have to announce that there won't be an eviction because there were no telephone votes . Never happen though, there's always one.

[buzby]

Couldn't agree with you more, but it is the PUBLIC that decide, and if enough of them feel that the only way for their opinion to be heard is paying for the priviledge, they'll do it. And you can also add those who take part in paying big money simply to ENTER quiz competitions, and being agreeable to the terms "Not all calls will be answered, but all will be charged." Who in their right mind agrees to paying for something they don't get?

As to your second paragraph - I have to correct a misconception. You are NOT charged when a phone 'is still ringing'. Until the call is answered by the receiving network, the call remains uncharged until connection. HOWEVER, some firms, on answering the incoming call, play a recording of a ringing phone line, which fools the customer. The call has already been answered, and the ring tone is simply misleading.

Just as the BBC has a rule the the 'time pips' must never be recorded (in reality, played out as a serious of 6 pips) OFCOM should bar any operator from using recorded ringtone after the distant network has accepted the call. Of course, they'll not do it.

[s1h]

Simple the premium rate phone calls pay for the shows.

For example the quiz shows on the prize money comes from all the phone calls.

[buzby]

And if nobody calls? Tarrant's Millionaire Show requires the call revenue not to pay for all of the money prize, but an insurance policy in CASE it is won! IT still doesn't make the process any more acceptable. If they want the viewers to take part as their model, fine. If they need viewers to pay via premium rated calls to justify what they are doing, I find that speculative and distasteful.

[ladybird17]

It's another power of the people thing - if nobody rings, then they would have to think again. I knew someone who managed to spend over £400 in one month ringing Richard & Judy and quiz lines etc. - how dumb is that? It's really a matter of choice - either you are happy to spend your money - & probably get nothing- or your not.

[bidstermeister]

It's almost a licence to print money, isn't it ?!

Bottom-line: These quiz shows and any such programme that requires a call to a premium-rate number is there to make money. It's a business, it's not there for the good of our health.

[i_spam]

This channel i know puts you on hold after they ask you who you want to talk to !!!