Wikipedia
PhonepayPlus (formerly known as ICSTIS, the Independent Committee for the supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services) is the regulatory body for all premium rate phone-paid services in the United Kingdom. These are the goods and services that consumers can buy by charging the cost to their phone bills and pre-pay phone accounts.
ICSTIS was founded by Sir Louis Blom-Cooper QC, at the request of 3 network operators, British Telecom, Mercury Communications and Vodafone as a response to public criticism of their profiting from adult premium rate content.
It regulates services using a Code of Practice, approved by Ofcom. This sets out the rules with which all providers of phone-paid services must comply. Among other things, it requires clear and accurate pricing information, honest advertising and service content, and appropriate and targeted promotions.
PhonepayPlus investigates complaints about phone-paid services. Where it decides that its rules have been broken, it can fine the company responsible, bar access to its services, and even bar the individual behind the company from running other services under a different company name. Investigations and adjudications are free to consumers and are supposed to be fully independent. PhonepayPlus regulates services using the following number ranges: 070, 0870, 0871, 0872, 0873, 09 and 118.