Quarterly Report. 2009/ Quarter 3. Published Date: 15 February, 2010

Transcription

1 Quarterly Report 29/21 - Quarter 3 Published Date: 15, 21

2 Report Summary Introduction Overall complaints logged have decreased 61% for 29/21 Q3 in comparison to Q3 of 28/29 (5,442 vs. 2,132) Complaints for the mobile sector in 29/21 Q3 have decreased 62% in comparison to Q3 of 28/29 (4,88 vs. 1,835) Call volumes in 29/21 Q3 have decreased 44% in comparison to Q3 of 28/29 (12,439 vs. 6,979) A forensic analysis of 1% of mobile service-related complaints in the last two months of Q3 indicates: o o o WAP services account for 24% of complaints Adult chat and date accounts for 16% of complaints Wallpaper and ringtone downloads account for 12% of complaints Of the 224 landline complaints PhonepayPlus received in Q3, 77 were in relation to 87 numbers

3 Chart Customer Service Call Volume 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Abandoned Calls Answered Month Calls Answered Calls Abandoned Total Calls Offered 29 4, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,134 Totals for Period: 44,466 3,566 48,32 Chart KPI: % of Calls Answered < 3 Sec % 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% % Page 3 of 15

4 Chart Number Checker Usage 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Comments: Chart Number Checker Usage includes web, IVR, and SMSus number checks PRN = Premium Rate Numbers that are not SMS shortcodes The "Other" category contains out of remit, National, and mobile numbers along with mistyped number searches Number Type PRN Shortcode Directory Enquiries 7 87 Other Month Totals 28,737 22, ,749 19,579 73,116 27,187 24, ,725 19,112 73,443 27,3 21, ,722 19,89 7,588 2,644 17, ,31 14,321 54,453 28,777 19, ,927 17,945 69,79 24,512 18, ,566 14,27 59,724 22,731 16, ,486 13,36 55,52 23,68 16, ,889 12,397 55,53 24,599 15, ,76 14,52 57,27 24,11 17, ,186 16,56 61,741 26,236 16, ,19 18,315 63,742 22,16 15, ,671 13,479 53,882 Totals for Period: 3, ,237 4,85 8,225 21,46 192, ,43 Page 4 of 15

5 Chart Contact Centre Correspondence Contacts Type of Contact Letter Web Form Month Totals Totals for Period: ,915 5,394 Web Form Letter Chart KPI: Out of Remit Correspondence < 1 Days 1% 9% 8% 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% % Page 5 of 15

6 Chart 1.6a - PhonepayPlus Web Site Page Views & Visits 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Chart 1.6b - PhoneBrain Web Site Page Views & Visits 35, 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 5, Month Page Views Visits 247,979 48, ,944 51,47 248,928 49, ,82 126, ,24 77, ,567 66, ,131 66,47 245,671 67, ,522 82,19 294, ,83 335,29 117, ,566 85,461 Total for Period: 3,521, ,664 Comments: The spike in activity for is due to the new PhonepayPlus website launch on 14 The method by which page views are calculated needed to be adjusted to match the new site's structure Pre- 14 page view numbers have been modified and will vary from previous published figures Month Page Views Visits 29 29,154 6, ,99 5, ,766 5, ,641 6, ,815 6, ,591 9, ,346 1, ,88 7, ,115 8, ,78 11, ,774 9, ,199 8,575 Total for Period: 313,16 96,243 Page 6 of 15

7 Chart All Complaints Logged 1,8 1,6 1,4 Chart Reason for Complaint Q3 Promotion of the Service/Product ( 22% ) Other Reason ( 3% ) 1,2 1, Operation of Service ( 76% ) Source of Complaint Phone Web Correspondence Other Month Totals 1, ,745 1, ,686 1, , , , , , , , Totals for Period: 9,983 4, ,191 Page 7 of 15

8 Chart 2.3a - Complaints Trend in Mobile and Landline Sectors 1,8 1,6 1,4 1,2 1, Mobile Landline Month Landline Mobile Month Totals 68 1,642 1, ,558 1, ,394 1, ,84 1, ,11 1, ,248 1, , ,28 1, Sum: 1,5 12,769 13,774 Chart 2.3b - Mix of Mobile vs. Landline Sector Complaints Q3 Month 7 Complaints Month 87 Complaints Landline ( 11% ) Mobile ( 89% ) 11 Sum: 172 Sum: 173 Note: PhonepayPlus began regulating 87 numbers 1, 29 Page 8 of 15

9 Chart Lead Cases Identified Current Open Investigations as of 29th: 46 Cases Open Investigations by Sector Cases Mobile 29 Landline 4 Cases Against Associated Individuals 7 Network 6 Sum: 46 Month Lead Cases Identified Total for Period: 254 Key Adjudications: Two key adjudications emerged from the Tribunal which sat on in respect of two IPs, Sonnerier and Tagcontent. Both featured mobile content subscription services and are the first adjudications in which a Tribunal has clearly stated that, based on the evidence before it, information provided to the Executive by the IPs during the course of the investigations had been deliberately falsified (in the case of Sonnerier) and inaccurately provided (Tagcontent). As such, the sanctions were particularly severe, with both IPs being prohibited from involvement in, or contracting for, the provision of any premium rate services for periods of 12 and six months respectively. Read more at: Page 9 of 15

10 Chart KPI: Customer Satisfaction * 1% Comments: 9% 88% of people surveyed were satisfied or above (Jan Jun 9) 3% of complainants responded to our survey (16 out of 535 contacted for survey) 8% 84% felt we met our target timeframe for the investigation 7% 62% felt we explained the outcome sufficiently 6% 66% did receive an adjudication letter (Currently, all correspondence is sent via post electronic options are being evaluated) 5% Jan-Jun 27 Jul-Dec 27 Jan-Jun 28 Jul-Dec 28 Jan-Jun 29 85% of respondents due a refund felt we clearly explained how to obtain it 34% of complainants due a refund have attempted to get one (Complainants generally explained that they were happy the company was fined and did not feel compelled to attempt to collect a refund) * This measures the satisfaction levels of complainants sent an adjudication letter. Note: A new, more comprehensive customer satisfaction survey will be tested for the complaints logged in the last six months of 29. This data is slated for availability in the next upcoming quarterly report. Page 1 of 15

11 Chart Outpayments per Sector 8,, 7,, 6,, 5,, 4,, 3,, 2,, 1,, Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 27/28 28/29 29/21 Note: 28/9 and 29/1 outpayment figures are based on annual and quarterly returns submitted by networks and are currently being verified. Financial Year Quarter Mobile Landline DQ 87 Totals 27/28 Q1 67,29,538 6,879,38 28,869,4 156,957,886 Q2 67,324,28 55,1,297 32,111, ,535,64 Q3 73,49,259 55,883,148 32,225, ,598,523 Q4 7,3,933 48,57,125 31,993,216 15,54,274 Totals: 278,27, ,919, ,198, ,146,323 Financial Year Quarter Mobile Landline DQ 87 Totals 28/29 Q1 69,765,887 51,566,146 37,8, ,412,662 Q2 67,32,43 47,31,155 37,73, ,361,56 Q3 72,613,676 52,829,823 35,743,7 161,187,199 Q4 68,69,852 43,622,856 4,12, ,795,46 Totals: 277,769, ,328,981 15,657, ,756,774 Financial Year Quarter Mobile Landline DQ 87 Totals 29/21 Q1 57,885,245 44,174,818 35,224,54 137,284,63 Q2 6,151,242 45,513,267 37,958,958 1,481, ,14,814 Totals: 118,36,487 89,688,85 73,183,498 1,481, ,389,417 Financial Year 29/21 Mobile Fixed 7 87 Totals Fines invoiced from 3,434,5 85,5 1,3, 3, 4,823, 1/4/9-31/12/9 Sanctions suspended - 52, - 52, Oral hearing Services barred due to - 1, - 917, ,848 non receipt of payment Fines not yet due - 145, - 145, Fines due 2,769,5 75,5 382,152 3, 3,23,152 Fines paid 2,256,5 75,5 22,152 2, 2,536,152 Collection Percentage: 79% Chart KPI: Fine Invoices < 1 Days of Tribunal Date 1% 8% 6% 4% 2% % Page 11 of 15

12 Chart External PhonepayPlus Newsletter Readership 3, 2,5 2, 1,5 1, 5 Chart 5.2a - Press Article Type Q3 Regional Press ( 1% ) National Press ( 23% ) Chart 5.2b - Press Article Tone Q3 Negative ( 2% ) Positive ( 53% ) Articles Published in Q3: 97 Trade Media ( 67% ) Neutral ( 45% ) Note: Article Tone is measured internally by our Communications Team Delivered Read Communications Team 11 announcements PhonepayPlus statement on postal scam chain (22 ) Emergency procedure investigation into Adult Sex Exchange Virtual Chat Service (23 ) PhonepayPlus welcomes Ofcom s statement on PRS regulation (28 ) PhonepayPlus announce 62% decrease in complaints about mobile phone-paid services (17 ) Continued on next page Page 12 of 15

13 Communications Team continued Announcements continued: PhonepayPlus quarterly operations report (29/1 Q2) published (19 ) Emergency procedure investigation into Local Sex Buddies Virtual Chat Service (23 ) PhonepayPlus 21/11 Business Plan and Budget consultation published (2 ) Howard Webber and Hugh Griffiths appointed to the PhonepayPlus Board (4 ) Help Note on Virtual Chat Services issued (1 ) Emergency procedure investigation into /text message that falsely claimed to be sent by Gumtree.com (17 ) Emergency procedure investigation into Sms Chat With Just Legal Babes Virtual Chat Service (22 ) Two events: PhonepayPlus supports Mobile Entertainment Forum conference on Mobile payments: trends, regulations and future opportunities (12 ) o Held at the Royal Statistical Society in London o Approximately 75 attendees o Presentations from KPMG, Reuters, various UK and international regulators, and a variety of industry panellists PhonepayPlus Forum 'The importance of customer service' (5 ) o Held at the Mermaid Conference & Events Centre in London o Approximately 8 stakeholder delegates (including consumer bodies, mobile networks, Service Providers and other regulators) o Presentations by Which?, PhonepayPlus, Ofcom and industry panellists Other activity: Supported the Internet W atch Foundation s annual Awareness Day (14 ) PhonepayPlus A phone is for life, not just for Christmas campaign (Nov/Dec) Published three issues of NewsPlus PhonepayPlus external e-newsletter on 3, 27 and 18 Page 13 of 15

14 Chart Industry Advice Chart Industry Enquiries Chart Industry Applications Comments: In total, requests for advice (both by phone and ) have fallen by 33% from the previous quarter s peak. Requests have declined steadily since, but this quarter s figure is slightly distorted by the Christmas break, a period in which few requests of either type were made. This drop also appears more significant than it actually is due to the previous quarter covering the period where PhonepayPlus took over regulation of 87 services. Whilst by no means all the requests during that period were from 87 providers who were new to the market, a significant proportion were. Over the next quarter we would not expect to see these figures rise or fall to any great extent. However, we expect them to rise sharply once again after the consultation document for the new Code is released in, as providers seek to gain a personal introduction as to how the changes in the Code will affect them. As with any new regulation, requests for information are then likely to stay high for some time as we begin to externally socialise the Code. Month Advice Enquiry Prior Permission Total for Period: 1,489 3, Page 14 of 15

15 Research Team Research undertaken by, and on behalf of, PhonepayPlus is used to increase our understanding of market and industry trends in order to improve our operations, policy-making and market risk management. A programme of service monitoring and testing also identifies emerging trends and issues with platforms and services. Problems identified with specific services are passed onto the Investigations team and Industry Support and Policy team for further work. A number of recent research projects, both undertaken in-house and externally commissioned, have required input from industry and other stakeholders. We are very grateful for those contributions to the work we are undertaking. Research conducted in-house and commissioned research (including ongoing projects): Commissioned research: Annual market report for PRS. In addition to the PRS market(s), the research has also looked at alternative microbilling platforms and compared various PRS market sectors their respective wider markets for similar services. Report due for completion mid 21. Market map commissioned to provide a visual overview of the wider value chain and interrelationships associated with the provision (and regulation) of premium rate services. Research undertaken in-house to document policies and practice of adult verification procedures with various M(V)NOs & aggregators. Ongoing monitoring and testing of services and service sectors: In the third quarter of 29/1, monitoring and testing activities included the following, promoted in mid & top-shelf publications, newspapers, internet and TV: Research/monitoring commissioned to look at the types of PRS and compliance levels of promotional material appearing in online blogs, forums and spam s. In-house research project undertaken to look at typical user experiences and promotional material received via SMS and WAP-push following use of a PSMS or WAP service. Market review: Compliance testing of a cross-section of mobile subscription services on the market today. Monitoring and testing of virtual chat, contact and dating services. Compliance testing of cross-section of service genres promoted on television. Page 15 of 15