German and Netherlands Quiz shows are coming under the scrutiny of regulators

From the Herald Tribune of today:
To European broadcasters, they have become vital sources of income in times of sinking advertising revenue. To critics, they represent the very worst in television programming - cheaply made shows designed to rip off viewers.
Now, on the heels of fraud allegations, quiz shows are coming under the scrutiny of regulators […]

German Premium Rate Number Tariff Limit raised to 3.00 Euro/Minute

A change in the German “Telekommunikationsgesetz” (Telecommunication Law) allows service providers to charge up to three Euro per minute for 0900 premium rate calls. The novellation increases comsumer protection by

a cost-free tariff announcement at the start of each call (billable time starts 3 seconds after end of message)
premium-rate calls are now limited to a sum […]

100,000 complaints received on number misuse

Kurth: “Agency is a point of contact for the consumer” The German Federal Network Agency has now received its one hundred thousandth written complaint from a consumer about number misuse. “This shows that the Agency has established itself in the public awareness as a point […]

Bundesgerichtshof stärkt Rechte von Telefonkunden

Summary: The German Federal Court of Justice ruled now, that telephone carriers are not allowed to bill connections to premium rate numbers, if the customer has justified complaints. In an earlier rule the court separated between the content provided and the connection service, making it easy for the carriers to collect the money for the […]

German Regulator clamps down on “ping”-Calls

The German Bundesnetzagentur (long term for “regulator”) has shut down more than 230 premium rate numbers in the last half year because of consumer complaints regarding ping calls and telephone spamming. For over 80 numbers the billing and the collection of fees have been forbidden. A ping call typically is a short call to a […]