The T-Mobile range of services T-Mobile provides a range of basic voice and data services, including:

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1 Code of Practice

2 Purpose of the code This code outlines the general relationship between Everything Everywhere Limited ( T-Mobile ) and its customers and has been approved by Ofcom for the purposes of s52 of the Communications Act It is published by T-Mobile in order to help customers make informed decisions about their relationship with T-Mobile. It does not form part of a contract nor does it create or form part of a collateral contract between T-Mobile and its customers. In this code T-Mobile aims to provide an overview of its services and explain how customers can obtain advice and assistance on the basic range of services provided by T-Mobile including: n Who we are n The range of services provided by T-Mobile n Your rights as a customer of T-Mobile n How you pay for services provided by T-Mobile n Switching to T-Mobile n T-Mobile disconnection policy n What to do if you receive unwanted calls or text messages n T-Mobile complaint handling and dispute resolution process n How you can contact T-Mobile n How you can contact Ofcom Who we are and what we do Everything Everywhere Limited is the name of the company that runs the Orange and T-Mobile brands in the UK, and has a customer base of 30 million people: over half of the UK adult population. It is owned as a Joint Venture by Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom (50:50 ownership). The T-Mobile range of services T-Mobile provides a range of basic voice and data services, including: n UK and international voice calls n Voic n Text Messaging n Mobile broadband n Roaming abroad (visit our website for coverage details) n Picture Messaging n Information services T-Mobile also provides a range of enhanced services. For more details on these and the services outlined above including how to obtain any T-Mobile services, please visit our website at T-Mobile provides additional services for customers with disabilities including a dedicated customer service team. Further details of these services can be obtained on our website at or at the end of this document. Terms and conditions When you enter into an agreement with T-Mobile we agree to provide you with telephone services, as well as billing and customer services. Whether you are a pay monthly contract customer or pay as you go, you will, when entering into an agreement with us, receive a set of terms and conditions. You can ask for a copy of the terms and conditions that apply to your specific agreement by calling customer services on 150 or download a current copy of the terms and conditions that apply to new agreements from our website. The pay monthly terms and conditions on the T-Mobile website are the current T-Mobile terms and conditions which apply to all new customers and customers upgrading their phones. If you are an existing T-Mobile customer your terms of service may vary from those illustrated on the website. 1

3 What and how to pay T-Mobile offers two basic ways in which to pay for the services we offer. You can choose: n a pay monthly plan which may include a certain number of call minutes and/or text messages or picture messages, depending on the type of plan; n a pay as you go price plan, where you pay in advance for any usage you wish to make; n a price plan combining the above such as U-Fix. U-Fix allows you to choose a pay monthly price plan complete with inclusive call minutes and allowances and then use pay as you go for any additional calls or services. Billing options Pay monthly contract customers may receive a monthly bill detailing the charges for the month to come and any call charges for the previous month. The bill can be paid by Direct Debit, telephone or Internet banking or other payment methods. A separate payment handling charge of 3 applies for processing payments by methods other than direct debit, telephone or Internet banking. Pay as you go customers do not receive a bill, but can check their available credit by dialling 150. Bills and literature in other formats If you have difficulty reading your bill, we can provide you with a choice of Braille or large print versions on request. You can also get other T-Mobile literature in a choice of alternative formats on request - Braille, large print, audio tape and electronic text format (particularly useful for customers with a visual impairment who use text to speech software). Contact details are provided at the end of this document. Switching to T-Mobile You can keep your existing mobile number if you switch to T-Mobile from another network or service provider. This is known as Number Portability. It can take as little as two working days and is free of charge. You will need to contact your current operator or service provider (i.e. the company your contract is currently with) to ask for a Port Authorisation Code (PAC). The PAC gives your authority for us to be able to request your number to be transferred to the T-Mobile network. T-Mobile disconnection policy The T-Mobile disconnection policy1 is outlined in various sections of the terms and conditions. If, as a pay monthly customer, you fail to pay your monthly bill or exceed your credit limit, T-Mobile will in the majority of cases first stop you making outgoing calls. Failure to pay after this initial suspension may result in disconnection. If you are a pay as you go customer you will be disconnected from the network if you fail to make a call or other connection action 2 within a 180 day period. T-Mobile may also choose to disconnect customers for other reasons, for example, if a customer uses the services provided in an unlawful manner. This includes: n Making offensive or nuisance communications n A use that is unlawful, immoral or improper n Sending, receiving, uploading, and downloading any material which is offensive, indecent or defamatory A pay monthly customer who wishes to cancel its agreement with T-Mobile can do so, subject to one month s notice, by calling customer services on 150. The customer will be required to pay all charges owing, including monthly charges, call charges up to and including the termination date and any other early termination charges for cancelling the agreement. Directory enquiry listing You have a right to choose whether your details are included in directory listings, including the Phone book. If you do want your details included, please contact T-Mobile s customer services department. 1 This information is provided as a guide as to the reasons why a customer might be suspended by T-Mobile. For a full explanation please see your Telephone Service Terms and Conditions. A copy of the current terms and conditions that apply to new agreements is available on the web. 2 The T-Mobile pricing brochures set out which activities are counted as being connection actions. 2

4 NTS calls Numbers beginning with 08 (for example 0800, 0845, 0870, 0871) and 0500 are known as number translation services or non-geographic numbers. This is because the number dialled does not relate to a geographic location and so in order to deliver the call to its destination it needs to be translated to a geographic number in the T-Mobile network. Examples of services using these numbers include information services, technical helplines, telephone banking, sales and customer service lines. Calls made to these numbers are chargeable on the T-Mobile network (with the exception of a few 0800 numbers) and not, unless otherwise stated, included in price plan allowances, promotions and discounts. We are committed to publishing the call charges of these numbers on our website and in our price lists in a way that gives them the same prominence as calls to geographic numbers and other mobile networks. We are also committed to publishing in our advertising, promotional and sales material that refer to call pricing, alongside maximum prices applying to NTS calls, a reference as to where on our website NTS call charges can be found. For details of charges visit our website or call customer services. Premium Rate Services Premium rate services offer some form of information or entertainment that is charged to your mobile phone bill or prepay account. These services can be voice, text, picture message and are usually priced higher than your normal voice call or text message because they involve an operator sharing revenue with a content provider. Services can also be accessed by landline telephone, fax, interactive TV and PC. Typical services include: n TV votelines (such as Big Brother and I m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!) n ringtone and logo downloads n chat n horoscopes n charitable fund-raising n sports results n directory enquiry services Premium rate services are advertised on phone numbers beginning 09, on four or five digit shortcodes (usually beginning with the digit 6, 7 or 8), or on some numbers beginning 0871, 0872 and Directory enquiry services are advertised on six-digit numbers beginning with 118. Premium rate services are charged on a different basis to ordinary telephone calls. You pay in the usual way via your phone bill or pay as you go account and we will share the money with the company providing the content. This arrangement is known as revenue sharing. T-Mobile s own information and entertainment services portal is known as t-zones. This can be accessed either on the website, or on your mobile phone at You can access and download T-Mobile s own premium rate services, such as chat, ringtones, videos, wallpaper and games. You will be charged either for your connection time or for the amount of data downloaded. You may also be charged a fixed amount for downloads and we will always tell you how much the download will cost beforehand. Services that are behind shortcodes are known as third party services. These services are offered by companies who have a revenue sharing arrangement with T-Mobile and will vary in price depending on the company offering the service. You should always be given the contact details of the company and the cost of the service before using it. If you have a query, complaint or have not received the service and want a refund then you need to contact the third party directly. If you don t have their contact details then T-Mobile s customer services department will be able to provide you with this information. Some services require you to subscribe which means that you may be charged a monthly fee or you will be sent a number of chargeable messages every month. Before you subscribe to a premium rate service you will be sent a free welcome message which contains a certain amount of useful information including charges for the service and how to unsubscribe. If you want to terminate the service, or you have mistakenly subscribed to a service you can send the word STOP to the shortcode and you should not receive any more chargeable messages. 3

5 If you dial a number that begins with 09 on your mobile phone you will be charged anything between 75p to 2.50 per minute, depending on which charge band the number falls into (premium rate, premium plus or higher premium rate). It is possible to bar calls to 09 numbers and you can also stop receiving chargeable messages. If you would like to know how much it costs to dial a specific number, or if you would like information on how to bar numbers, you can contact T-Mobile s customer services department. Some premium rate services are classified as adult and are not suitable for people under the age of 18, for example gambling services. Content Lock is a T-Mobile service that bars access to content rated 18. Illegal content is blocked from all customers. Content Lock was developed to protect customers under the age of 18 from being exposed to inappropriate material when using their mobile phones. If you are over the age of 18 and want to remove Content Lock you will need to have proof of your age, for example you must have a credit card in your name. You can apply or remove Content Lock in the following ways: n By phone: call 1818 (it s free) and follow the instructions n On the web: log in to My T-Mobile; select Check Profile; and change your Content Lock settings n In-store The Independent Mobile Classification Body (IMCB) is an independent body that was set up by the mobile industry to develop a framework for classifying content that is not suitable for people under 18. The framework covers new types of content on mobile phones which have a visual element, for example, pictures, video and mobile games. For more information on the IMCB you can go their website T-Mobile is a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) which is the organisation that deals with the notice and take down of illegal content. You can find out more by visiting PhonepayPlus PhonepayPlus (formerly ICSTIS) is the industry-funded regulatory body appointed by Ofcom to deliver the day to day regulation of premium rate services. PhonepayPlus regulates these services using its Code of Practice which sets out the rules that companies offering premium rate services must follow. PhonepayPlus investigates complaints about the advertising, content and overall operation of premium rate services. It has the power to fine companies and bar access to their services if they breach the Code of Practice. The PhonepayPlus website contains useful information on premium rate services or if you simply want to check a number on your bill you can use the number checker at: If you believe that you have been the victim of a premium rate scam, you should contact PhonepayPlus. If you have a complaint about a premium rate service, PhonepayPlus will investigate the complaint and may instruct the company running the premium rate service to offer you a refund. PhonepayPlus will always let you know the outcome of your complaint and if a refund is instructed, PhonepayPlus will give you the company s contact details. You can contact PhonepayPlus in the following way: n By telephone: n On the Website: n By writing to: PhonepayPlus, FREEPOST, WC 5468, London SE1 2BR What to do if you receive unwanted calls or textmessages You may receive unwanted calls or text messages from sales and marketing companies who are trying to sell goods and services. If you don t want to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls, you should register your number with the Telephone Preference Service by: n visiting their website at n calling the Telephone Preference Service at

6 If after registering with the Telephone Preference Service you still receive unwanted calls or messages, you should contact the Information Commissioner s office. You can contact them in the following ways: n Telephone: n data@informationcommissioner.gov.uk n Write: Information Commissioner s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF n Website: What to do if you have a faulty phone If you have a faulty phone, the action you should take depends on whether you have bought the phone directly from T-Mobile, or from another store or service provider. If you have bought your phone directly from T-Mobile, i.e. in a T-Mobile store or via the T-Mobile website, please contact T-Mobile Customer Services who will be able to assist you. The solutions that T-Mobile can provide will differ from case to case, depending on the type of fault and the reason for it occurring. If you did not buy your phone directly from T-Mobile, but from another seller, such as The Carphone Warehouse or Phones 4 U, please return it to the place of purchase to report the fault. The reason for this is that phones purchased from these outlets do not come directly from T-Mobile, and as a result T-Mobile cannot offer an exchange on the equipment. Complaint handling and alternative dispute resolution procedures We hope that you will never have reason to complain about any aspect of our services. However, if there is something you are not happy with you should contact customer services who will try to resolve your complaint or query. We will aim to find an immediate solution where we can, though more complex complaints may take a little longer to sort out. If having contacted us you feel that your complaint has not been dealt with you can ask for your complaint to be escalated to a Manager. If your complaint is still unresolved, you should follow the procedure below. T-Mobile complaints procedure: Step 1. Put your complaint in writing and send it to the following T-Mobile address: The Complaints Investigation Department T-Mobile 6 Camberwell Way Sunderland Tyne and Wear SR3 3XN Alternatively you can complete the on-line web form at The letter must include: A) Your name B) Your address C) Your T-Mobile account number and /or mobile telephone number D) Details of your complaint E) Your resolution requirements F) A daytime contact telephone number 5

7 Step 2. We will acknowledge receipt of your letter by text message. If you ed us we will reply by . Step 3. The complaint Investigations Department will try and contact you within 7 working days from receiving your complaint. If we can t get hold of you by phone we will write to you. If after discussing the issue with us you are still unhappy with any aspect of our service and where we haven t been able to resolve your complaint within 8 weeks from the date you first contacted us, you can refer your complaint to CISAS, an independent dispute resolution scheme. Details can be found at You can also obtain independent advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, Consumer Advice Centre, Trading Standards Departments or other telecoms user organisations recognised by the Secretary of State. Whilst we are happy to work together with the above independent organisations, if you decide you need their help to resolve your complaint, we would always want you to come to us first as most problems can be resolved quickly this way. How to contact us If you need to contact T-Mobile for whatever reason, you can do so in the following ways: n By calling customer service on 150 from your T-Mobile phone or on from a landline, or if dialling from abroad on Please refer to the T-Mobile website for charges. Customer services can help you with any of the issues discussed in this Code of Practice. n By ing us using the how to contact us section of the T-Mobile website at n Alternatively if you do not want to telephone T-Mobile you can write to us at the following address: Customer Services T-Mobile 6 Camberwell Way Sunderland Tyne and Wear SR3 3XN Customers with disabilities If you need to contact the T-Mobile Disability Services Team for whatever reason, you can do so in the following ways: n By calling 122 free from your T-Mobile phone or free on from a landline, or if dialling from abroad on n By ing us using the how to contact us section of the T-Mobile website at n By fax on Please refer to the T-Mobile website for charges. If you are hearing or speech impaired You can contact our T-Mobile Disability Services Team by textphone free on A customer services advisor is available to help you between 8am and 10pm weekdays, 8am and 8pm weekends. You can also fax the T-Mobile Disability Services Team on In addition, you can report that your phone has been lost or stolen by textphone free on (between 8am and 10pm weekdays, 8am and 8pm weekends). 6

8 How to contact Ofcom The UK communications industry is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is the UK s communications industry regulator with wide-ranging responsibilities across the UK s communications and Postal markets. More information can be found at If you want to contact Ofcom, you can do so in several ways: n By calling or n Fax: n By textphone (only works with special equipment used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing) n By writing to Ofcom at the following address: Office of Communications Riverside House 2A Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HA This Code of Practice is published on our website. Additional copies are available on request and are free of charge to any domestic and small business customers. Copies are also available in a choice of alternative formats such as Braille, large print, audio and electronic. For further details, visit If you have any questions or comments about this Code of Practice please them to: Code.Compliance@t-mobile.co.uk. MC Information correct as at February

Code of Practice for Premium Rate Services.

1 Code of Practice for Premium Rate Services. This code explains what Premium Rate Services are, how they work, how much they cost, and how to stop them if you no longer want them. If you d like a free