ICSTIS, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of
Standards of Telephone Information Services, said that a series of
businesses to which Gambling was connected "seriously breached the
ICSTIS Code of Practice".
"The Panel was minded to name Jason Gambling as an associated
individual who should be prohibited from providing, or contracted
for the provision of, any premium rate services," said the
ruling.
Gambling was found to be connected to PRS Communications Ltd and
Pre-Selected Promotions Ltd, two companies which operated
"offending services". The companies had been found to be sending
unsolicited text messages to mobile phone users claiming fictional
affiliations with established companies.
Other promotions left automated voice messages on landlines
encouraging users to call premium rate numbers without giving
information about call cost or duration and without attempting to
prevent messages reaching children, said ICSTIS.
"Mr Gambling has been prohibited following a lengthy, detailed
investigation into his apparent involvement with various service
providers operating under numerous names, all of whom were involved
in operating 'prize claim line' services that seriously breached
the ICSTIS Code of Practice," said an ICSTIS statement.
PRS had operated under a number of names, including Great
Holiday Offers, New Sports Offers, Exceptional Promotions and
Better Phone Deals.
When PRS appealed the decisions of ICSTIS the Independent
Appeals Board found that PRS had made a deliberate attempt "to
avoid the mandatory provisions of the Code of Practice by
continuing to operate the service under different trading
names".
ICSTIS published a note requesting that phone networks help to
prevent banned individuals operating services by "remaining
vigilant to ensure that such individuals do not attempt to start up
services while they are subject to prohibition."
Gambling accepted the two year ban without a hearing, said
ICSTIS.
