Who Operates Premium Rate Services?
A. Weather forecasters, lawyers, doctors, travel agents, sports enthusiasts, the stock market, and of course the very popular psychic, tarot and clairvoyant services. People from all backgrounds are jumping into this lucrative opportunity to launch their own Premium Rate services. They range from part-time enthusiasts to multi-national companies, including the media empires created by Rupert Murdoch and BBC television. In the industry, the people who provide information and entertainment on the premium rate lines are known as “Information Providers” (I.P.’s). An I.P. is a person or company who has an idea for a dial-in service and who offers that service to the public. The difference between a “Service Provider” (S.P.), and an “Information Provider” (I.P.) is that the S.P.’s have installed Premium Rate lines and telephone equipment in their own premises.
