What constitutes a premium rate text number?

[nextstoplife]

I had a message bar on for premium rate numbers to and from my phone. This was after being hit with charges for spam premium messages coming to my phone last year. 

However i I couldn't text in to the clearly stated standard rate number of a BBC radio station, respond to a text from my broadband provider or the Inland Revenue or answer a survey again all specified as standard rate messages with this bar on? The only similarity is that they all had 5 digits. 

1. Is is there a way to block only premium rate texts in/out and not all 5 digit texts? Surely there must be. 

[AnnS]

Hi @nextstoplife

Vodafone offer an unsolicited premium rate short code reverse charge text bar which will stop all further short code messages being delivered to your phone. There is also the charge to bar restriction available through your online account.  

There is further information with details on how to dispute the charge from the link below.

How can I stop premium rate services being accessed from my phone?

If you need help live chat will be able to access your account.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @nextstoplife

The info in Premium-rate-SMS-FAQ.

"and as such you won’t be able to use any kind of Premium SMS service. Television voting, polls, competitions and any other kind of offers which say “Text EXAMPLE to 00000″ will no longer work on your mobile. Just Text Giving (the charity donation system won't work either)."

so from the above it points to blocking the kind of texts you wish to send. 

[nextstoplife]

Thanks for the responses. The problem is not applying the block, as I previously had this on, it's Vodaphone's block distinguishing between what is premium rate and what is standard rate that just happens to have 5 numbers.

Ive had to remove the block as it was necessary for me to text a 5 digit number, but short of regularly turning the block on and off I don't know if there's another option. I'm worried if I leave it off I'll leave myself open to spam again.  

[BandOfBrothers]

You're very welcome.

Unfortunately it maybe just that which needs to be carried out when you want to text. 

I'm not aware of any Apps that are available from the app store that would help here. Especially as anything that is needed needs to be at account level. 

Take care.