This is not for ever. They probably discover the high termination rates and they cease the service for some time untill they increase the actual rate.
Have a look also at this article from Guardian:
Saturday July 3, 2004
The Guardian
Thousands of internet users are being ripped off to the tune of millions of pounds after falling victim to the latest scam to hit the web. It involves "secret" software that worms its way into people's computers and makes your PC dial up expensive premium rate numbers without your knowledge.
This new hi-tech con trick has snowballed alarmingly in recent weeks. It's something people only become aware of when they receive their bills -and discover to their horror they have racked up huge costs they were not aware of and didn't agree to.
Companies under investigation
Icstis says it is investigating 15 telecom companies after complaints from the public, but tracking them down is not easy. Many are listed in the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Moldova and Liechtenstein.
After that a lot of people complained about they high phone bills and ICSTIS investigated. Here are the results of the investigation(
http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/a...p?node=&id=147)
Provider(s) Mobilkcom Liechtenstein AG
Telephone network(s) Colt Telecom
Service type Online adult entertainment
Source of complaint(s) Public
Complaint
Members of the public complained about charges incurred, without their knowledge or consent, as a result of connecting to the Internet through a premium rate number.
The service provider was found to be operating the service without having applied for or obtaining the required prior permission (3.3.1 tenth edition).
Investigation
Mobilkcom Liechtenstein AG did not dispute that they had not obtained permission to operate such a service and explained that this had been due to an internal error.
They stated that access to all dialler services had since been removed and added that they were now in the process of applying for permission.
Decision
The Committee upheld a breach of paragraph 3.3.1 of the tenth edition of the ICSTIS Code of Practice.
Access to the service was barred for six months or until such time as the service provider had obtained the required permission to operate, whichever was the longer.
B