Canada Premium Rate Service

A look at the best premium rate services market in the world.

Calgary – Over the years, North America has not been highly regarded internationally in the world of premium rate services. Tales of sky-high chargebacks, often exaggerated, have plagued the image of the United States and Canadian 900 number industry. In addition, numerous carriers have left the business either due to pressures from stockholders, negative publicity, or simply not being able to run a profitable business.

Recently, that all changed in Canada.

Thanks to deregulation of premium rate services in Canada.

Advanced Telecom Services now has agreements in place to leverage the only IXC 900 Premium Rate Network in Canada. Under equal access agreements, ATS is able to provide non-tariffed premium rate 900 number service in Canada that far surpasses the LEC offerings in terms of reliability, profitability, customer service, reconciliation of call records, and most importantly, holding charges where the provincial carriers would easily provide a chargeback to the consumer.

Among the improved features of ATS’s 900 number offering in Canada are:

• No startup fee for new 900 numbers.
• 900 Numbers activated within one week.
• No content restrictions.
• No limit to costs per call.
• No carrier holdbacks.
• Improved handling of consumer chargeback requests since operators are incentivized to hold charges.
• Access to 900 number programs through cell phones through its new “pound code” solution.

In contrast, Canadian provincial carriers charge $1500 for a new 900 number program that usually takes up to three weeks to activate. Content restrictions prohibit live chat and other traditional 900 number services. There is a maximum limit of $50 flat rate (drop charge) per call. Carrier holdbacks are 20% per month since consumer chargebacks are so easy to obtain. There is no access to 900 numbers from cell phones.

Thanks to a much improved 900 number business climate, Canada has recently been a hot bed of activity for Call TV programs which are relatively new to the North American market. Advanced Telecom Services is well positioned to provide the largest simultaneous call capacity in Canada for burst 900 number services like Call TV programs.

With a population of 33 million, Canadians are some of the largest consumers of television in the world. The average adult Canadian watches 28.8 hours of television per week—a figure only exceeded by the British and the Americans. In the cold winter months, Canadians wisely spend more time indoors and watch over 33 hours, on average, of television per week.

No matter where you go in the world, deregulation of any industry spawns entrepreneurial companies with innovative ideas and a stronger grasp of the market. If you are looking to expand your successful premium rate programs to other countries, Canada should be at the top of your list.

Bob Bentz is president of Advanced Telecom Services which has been providing premium rate 900 number services in Canada since 1993. ATS has been involved in several new high volume television 900 number programs in Canada since deregulation occurred. Bentz is a 21-year veteran of the premium rate services industry. During this time, he has learned to adjust his appointment schedule so as to visit Canada in the summer and Florida in the winter.

Contact an ATS representative today by email.