Premium phone lines are charged above national call rate and can be subject to quite hefty minimum charges.
In the UK they are used in business for additional services that fall beyond basic customer service which use generally National, Local or very rarely free call rate numbers. An example of a premium line would be IT support where specialised agents are required.
Premium lines are also well used in the entertainment sector to generate income from Television shows and quizzes where people can participate in voting, answering questions and entering phone in quizzes. There has been a massive growth in this sector as advertising revenues have dropped.
Because of the charging rates and potential income for some unscrupulous companies the UK has regulated these lines to protect the customer. In this circumstance British Gas were found to be keeping people on hold well beyond the regulated allowances. |