What is this?
A paid mobile phone number is one in which when calling, the interlocutor pays money, which flows into the owner’s account. As a rule, this opportunity is used to organize private consultations.
This is convenient for both parties. The consumer does not need to look for the possibility of transferring money to the contractor; it is enough to simply top up the balance of his own phone. Subscribers with a postpaid system will have to pay the operator. For the performer, such a system is also convenient, as it allows you to immediately receive funds. The convenience of both parties is that they do not need to independently calculate the duration of the consultation, since everything happens automatically.
Find an operator
So, answering the question of how to make a paid number, you cannot ignore the search for a company that provides the corresponding service. Nowadays, a considerable number of operators offer a similar service for their own clients.
As a rule, several tariff plans are available, which differ in cost. The funds that the operator receives for are transferred to the client automatically. For example, to a bank card or electronic wallet. Cash payments are also possible. It all depends on the conditions of a particular operator.
Before contacting an operator, try to collect as much information about him as possible. Otherwise, there is a possibility of becoming a victim of scammers who are unlikely to help those who are interested in how to make a paid number. And even if you manage to conclude an agreement, there is a high probability that the funds for the service will not be transferred to you.
That's why you need to find out as much as possible about a potential operator. Find out how long the company has been on the market. Ask your friends. Perhaps one of them has previously used the company’s services and will be able to share their own experience and impressions with you. If you have any doubts, try to find another operator that has a reputation as a reliable partner.
Enter into a contract
Some companies provide the opportunity to conclude an agreement for a paid number on the website without visiting the office. However, you can prefer the standard method and personally contact the operator’s office. This option is also acceptable for those users who do not plan to use the services of intermediaries.
To connect a paid number, you will need to have the necessary list of documents with you. Clarify its best in advance using remote methods of communication with the operator.
If you are interested in how to make a paid number for incoming calls, you need to know one interesting feature. The point is that Russian operators can ask a potential subscriber for the reason why he needs a separate number. It is possible that the company will need some time to consider the application, during which you will have to wait for a decision on your own request.
Differences in the method of number allocation: “Dedicated” or “General” short number?
There are two main groups of Short Numbers: general short numbers (they are also called “prefix” because similar numbers are used for several projects, and each project is assigned a unique prefix) and dedicated short numbers (they are often called “exclusive” because the numbers used for one specific project).
General short numbers
Common short codes can be used in parallel by different companies for dozens of projects at the same time. For this reason, these short numbers are called General.
To ensure that different projects on the same number do not interfere with each other, each project is given its own individual prefix (code word). Mandatory indication of the prefix at the beginning of the message allows the provider’s system to understand where exactly the subscriber is addressing.
A prefix is an alphabetic or numeric character that the subscriber specifies at the beginning of the message. Typically, the name of the product or company that is the basis of the service provided is used as a prefix.
Shared numbers are especially popular and relevant for creating any services, due to the fact that they do not require lengthy approvals and significant costs. Coordination of a specific project takes a matter of days, and the budget will consist of renting a short number, as well as the cost of SMS traffic (the number of incoming and response SMS).
Dedicated short numbers
Dedicated short codes are used in one specific project (sometimes in several projects, but implemented by the same organizer for different tasks). Only one company rents a dedicated number.
Using a dedicated short number usually requires a long (up to a month) approval process, and in addition to the monthly fee (significantly higher than renting shared numbers), you will also need an impressive connection fee.
The only advantage of a dedicated number is the ability to send an SMS message without a prefix, due to the fact that there is no need to separate different projects. As a result, using a dedicated short number is an expensive pleasure, and is only relevant for large projects that involve a large flow of incoming messages and a long period of implementation.
As a result, shared rooms are more preferable for any projects, since the organizational and financial burden in the option of dedicated rooms is much higher. And taking into account that the prefix is usually easy to remember and simple, writing it at the beginning of an SMS message will not be difficult.
Peculiarities
Before you create a paid phone number, you need to decide on the service that you plan to provide to potential clients in this way. It is equally important to take care of advertising and determine your own target audience to which the offer will be sent.
Ideally, such activities should be officially registered. Otherwise, it is possible that the operator will refuse to provide a paid number if the potential subscriber applies as an individual, and not as an entrepreneur or representative of a company. The reason is that paid numbers are often used by scammers to deceive some customers. That's why companies carefully monitor those who register paid numbers.
Before contacting a specific operator, collect as much information as possible about the companies that offer to connect to a paid number. Find out the conditions, tariffs, cost of service, etc. This is very important. For example, some companies may offer an inexpensive connection, but in the future they compensate for their own financial losses with a high monthly fee set for the subscriber. In addition, some operators claim a share of the profit that the paid number will bring to the owner.
General SMS
When you subscribe to one of the tariffs from the “EVERYTHING!” line, you receive a specific package of communication services: minutes, Internet and SMS. If you want to have common SMS with your loved ones, pay attention to whether your tariff has the ability to activate the “Common package of services for any devices” - the ability to share Internet, minutes and SMS.
To activate the service, go to your personal account, find the “Add number” button and enter the numbers of friends or relatives. After that, you will have common SMS, minutes and Internet traffic with them. The cost of the service is 5 rubles per day.
How to make money on a paid number?
It seems incredibly easy to make money from incoming calls. It is enough to place an advertisement, wait for calls from subscribers and make a profit.
However, such a simple scheme is only in theory. In practice, as often happens, everything turns out to be somewhat more complicated. This method of earning money is fraught with a considerable number of pitfalls.
First of all, registering a paid number is quite expensive. In addition, part of the profit has to be paid to the operator who provides the service. The payout percentage varies from forty to eighty points. It must be said that such a condition significantly reduces the expected profit for those who plan to use paid incoming calls.
However, this way of earning money is quite realistic. But only those who provide in-demand services can count on receiving sufficient profits. It is unlikely that subscribers will make paid calls if they do not receive interesting or useful information in return. This is why it is so important to identify services that are in demand among the population.
We cannot ignore the fact that many companies make money using a paid number in dishonest ways. To this end, they promise to pay winnings for answering simple questions or deliberately hide the fact that a fairly high fee will be charged from the subscriber for an outgoing call. This is why there is a low level of trust among subscribers in such services. However, this does not exclude the fact that you will be the one who will be able to earn money using a paid number.
legislation
Is there any basis for such claims, strictly speaking? After all, at some point the user voluntarily performed some action that ensured his place as a victim in the chain (relative to the short number 0800). This is precisely the position that telecom operators adhere to when a subscriber, outraged by the loss of money, begins to search for the truth.
The answer is yes, there is
And this is called the federal law of July 23, 2013 N 229-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Communications”.
In it, Article 2 of the Basic Law is supplemented with subclause 34.1, which defines what “content services” are.
The legislator made this definition as general as possible, practically fitting into it everything that is not the actual connection. Those. if the user using the phone and through the telecom operator’s channels receives, quote,
...reference, entertainment and (or) other additionally paid information...", gets the opportunity "... to participate in voting, games, competitions and similar events...,
Then he, the user, receives a content service. And it, in turn, being provided with the participation of third parties, falls under the addition of paragraph 5 of Article 44 of the Federal Law “On Communications”, which prescribes a mechanism for protecting the consumer by:
- firstly, the possibility of creating, at his request, a separate account to pay only for content services;
- secondly, the requirement to obtain explicit consent to receive such services;
- thirdly, about comprehensive information, including prices and names of suppliers, about these services before obtaining consent.
Another addition, established by 229-FZ, to paragraph 5 of Article 54 of the Basic Law, states that services provided in violation of any of the above are not subject to payment. And finally, Article 68 of the main communications law is supplemented by paragraph 8, which directly indicates the operator’s responsibility for the implementation of Article 44 (see above).
Let’s summarize the legislative information, projecting the rights and responsibilities spelled out in it onto the practical side of life.
If the user consciously wants to become a consumer of content services, then you can secure your account for paying for communications by declaring your intention to open a separate content account to cover the costs of mobile subscriptions and SMS from short numbers. If it is exhausted, funds intended for regular conversations and SMS will not be affected.
For telecom operators Beeline and TELE2, this action is automated and is carried out by sending a USSD request, *110*5062# and *160#, respectively. Sets of commands are also provided for replenishment and checking the balance.
Megafon and MTS require a personal appearance at the office and presentation of a passport, and one must understand that regardless of the method of expression of will, the very fact of opening an account confirms voluntary consent to receive content services, and strictly speaking makes it unnecessary to inform about the details (in including price) of the same mobile subscription.
