Today's Spanish official journal (BOE núm. 236/2004) contains a Resolution of the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Society, adopting and publishing a Code of conduct for the provision of premium rate services, and a classification of such services.

The Código de Conducta de los Servicios de Tarificación Adicional, y clasificación de los servicios is binding, for premium rate service/content providers and for (fixed and mobile) network operators to which premium rate numbers have been assigned. The Code stipulates that its full contents must be included in the standard contracts to be concluded between network operators and service/content providers.

Its intent is to protect consumers' and users' interests, and it covers, amongst-others, the following topics:

- Distinction of responsibilities of service/content providers on the one hand, and network operators on the other hand

- Rules on advertising for premium rate services (including prior information of consumers on the applicable maximum retail calling tariffs, when calling from fixed and mobile telephones).

- Rules on the voice prompts/menus (including an obligation to identify the caller of the identity of the service/content provider, and the applicable maximum calling tariffs, both for voice calls and for data calls, e.g. Internet diallers).

- Rules on the content of premium rate services (including prohibitions of various illegal or dubious practices which have occurred in the past).

- Classification of numbers: 803 for adult (voice) services, 806 for games and entertainment (voice) services, 807 for professional (voice) services, 907 for data services, with sub-classifications 907(0-4) for professional and games and entertainment, and 907(5-9) for adult services.

- Special rules for adult services, for games and entertainment, and for professional services (including a maximum call duration of 30 minutes for adult services, and 30 minutes for games and entertainment, in certain circumstances, and 30 minutes for professional services). The Comisión de Supervisión de los Servicios de Tarificación Adicional may set different maximum durations for certain games and entertainment services and for professional services.

- Special rules for services aimed at children and youths (with a maximum duration of 8 minutes), special rules for services offering employment, special rules for services offering medical or psychological advice, etc.

- Dispute resolution by the Comisión de Supervisión de los Servicios de Tarificación Adicional.

- Control and supervision by the Comisión de Supervisión de los Servicios de Tarificación Adicional.

The Code of conduct contains various further detailed stipulations. The full text (in Spanish) of the Code can be accessed by clicking here.