PNC Tele.com Plc, a UK reseller of telecommunications services, yesterday launched Premium Key, a method by which web sites can offer users premium content, paid for with a premium rate telephone number rather than a credit card. Under the system, which is similar to that offered by eCharge Inc’s My Phone technology, users download a 25K piece of software whenever they attempt to access premium content. A different piece of software applies to each site. This software then dials up a premium rate phone number, which is operated by an unnamed internet service provider. The web site holder can then take a share of the revenue created from this call in return for allowing the user access to the restricted pages. The service is available in 30 countries, soon to be upgraded to 50. In the UK, the service will be regulated by the Independent Committee for Standards in Telephone Information Services.
