Gradwell Code of Practice

1.2. The purpose of this Code of Practice is to inform you about our procedures, products and services, and customer care policies.

1.3. Gradwell is registered with the Ombudsman Service who provide an independent dispute resolution service in the telecommunications sector. Please see www.ombudsman-services.org for more details.

1.4. This Code of Practice applies only Gradwell’s direct customers who use our services themselves (i.e. it does not apply to parties who resell Gradwell’s goods and services or who refer customers to Gradwell).

1.5. References to “Website” means our web presence at www.gradwell.com, including any associated website, web-page, or sub-page of that site. This includes the Gradwell control panel, which you will have access to once you create an account with us when you become a Gradwell customer.

1.6. References to information or notices being “written” or “in writing” includes those sent by email.
How to Contact Us
Sales enquiries
Tel: 01225 800 808
(Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm except Bank Holidays)
Email: sales@gradwell.com
Technical Support enquiries
Tel: 01225 800 888
Email: connectivity@gradwell.com for data/connectivity services and support@gradwell.com for all other types of service.
Fax: 01225 800 801
Website: www.gradwell.com
Support availability: Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm for voice services (although a ‘reasonable efforts’ support service is provided outside of these hours, but it is provided without any commitment, undertaking or other assurance). Support for data/connectivity services is provided on a 24/7 basis.
 
Postal Address
Customer Services
Gradwell Communications Limited
Ground Floor
Trimbridge House
Trim Street
Bath BA1 1HB
United Kingdom

4.2. You can view a copy of our standard terms online (and download a copy) at www.gradwell.com/terms. Alternatively, you can request a copy by emailing concerns@gradwell.com.

5.1. All services we sell have a minimum contract commitment period. This period is:

• Two years for voice services
• Three years for broadband/connectivity services
• Two years for any other type of service

5.2. We may in some circumstances specify or agree with you that a different minimum contract period will apply.

5.3. Unless special circumstances exist (as detailed in our standard terms), if you want to cease your service before the end of the relevant minimum contract period, you must pay a cancellation charge. The cancellation charge is the amount you would have paid had you kept the services for the remainder of the minimum contract period.

5.4. Once the minimum contract period has expired, it will automatically renew for a further minimum contract period of 12 months unless you satisfy the definition of a residential or small business customer under Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement. Where you satisfy this definition, the contract will only renew for a further minimum contract period of 12 months where you give us express consent to renew, otherwise the contract will continue until terminated by you or Gradwell on 31 days’ notice (or where a shorter notice period applies if either party breaches the contract).

5.5. Where you are a consumer (as defined in the standard terms), you may cancel your contract for goods and/or services within 14 days of the goods being delivered to you, or of the contract for the service starting. Please note that if you’ve agreed to, and we have already starting to provide the service by the time you cancel it, you’ll have to pay us the full cost of the services you’ve received up to the point when you notify us.

5.6. You can end your Gradwell contract at any time by giving us 31 days’ written notice by post or email to the appropriate contact details listed above. However, you will be responsible for paying for the charges associated with any remaining period of the relevant minimum contract period.

5.7. If you give us notice that you wish to end your Gradwell contract, then you must make arrangements to switch to an alternative telephony service provider before the end of the 31-day notice period you give us. You do not need to wait until the end of your notice period to switch to another service provider (but you will be responsible for all charges associated with your Gradwell services up until the end of the notice period).

5.8. At the end of the 31-day notice period, your entitlement to use the relevant Gradwell services will end. If you do not take steps to secure equivalent services from an alternative communications provider, you will be left without the relevant type of service after this

6.2. We may change our call tariffs at any time by providing you with at least 14 days’ notice in writing.

6.3. The current call tariffs that apply are available on the Gradwell control panel.

7.2. Itemised call data records for the calls you have made using our voice services are available through the Gradwell control panel. Specific call data records should not be treated as final until you receive an invoice from us in respect of those records.

7.3. Unless our standard terms say otherwise, you must pay in advance for the products and services and in arrears for any usage charges (including, where applicable, charges associated with you exceeding your service usage cap).

8.2. If you experience a problem with your Gradwell service, please contact our support team via one of the following methods below.

8.3. If your problem relates to broadband, please call 01225 800 889 or email dsl-support@gradwell.com.

8.4. If your problem relates to any other service provided by Gradwell, please call 01225 800 888 or email support@gradwell.com

8.5. Our support team will discuss the problem with you and work with you to resolve the problem. In some instances, this may involve third party operators such as BT.

8.6. Some of our services are supported by service level commitments with assured uptime and fix time commitments. To see if the service you receive is accompanied by such support, please visit our Website.

17.1. This Part 2 informs you about our policy on calls to PRS and NTS and how we charge for calls to these numbers.

17.2. Calls to fixed line numbers for NTS and PRS usually begin with: 118, 084, 0870, 0871, 0872, 070, 09. SMS short code, which are usually around five digits, usually begin with 2, 6, 7 or 8 (SMS stands for short message service).

17.3. Examples of the types of services you might call when you use these numbers includes competition voting for TV talent shows, entering TV or radio competitions and calling video chat services.

17.4. Calls to these numbers are typically more expensive than calls to other phone numbers.

18.1. The PSA is the industry-funded regulatory body for all premium-rate charged telecommunications services. It regulates premium-rate services through the PSA code of practice (the latest edition can be found on their website). PSA’s main role is to prevent harm to consumers.

18.2. PSA investigates complaints about the promotion and operation of services that involve the use of a telephone connection via a premium-rate number. This includes services available through various mediums such as voice (telephone), fax, Internet, mobile phone SMS and interactive TV.

18.3. PSA regulates the following services and promotions:

• numbers beginning with 090 or 091
• directory enquiry (DQ) services operating on numbers beginning with 118
• reverse-billed SMS (you are charged for receiving messages) containing content operating on shortcodes.

18.4. PSA can fine companies and bar access to services if its code of practice is breached. PSA can also bar the individual(s) behind a company from running any other PRS under any company name on any telephone network for a defined period.

18.5. PSA can deal with lesser problems by issuing formal reprimands or requiring companies to seek prior approval before offering a service.

18.6. Their service is free to consumers and is fully independent.

19.1. If you think a particular service falls within PSA’s remit, you can submit a complaint to them. There are various ways of submitting your complaint, but, before you do, we recommend that you visit their online number-checking facility for instant information about the number in question. After that, please use one of the following methods:

• if you have a hard copy of the promotion in question (i.e. a page from a magazine), please supply your complaint in writing with a copy of the promotion to: PSA, FREEPOST WC5468, London SE1 2BR;
• by using their online complaint form (www.psauthority.org.uk); or
• by calling their free helpline on 0800 500 212 from 8am–8pm, Monday–Friday.

21.1. Calls to PRS numbers are typically more expensive than calls to other telephone numbers. Most PRS numbers operate on the basis of a revenue-sharing arrangement. This means that the bulk of the revenue from calls to such services goes to the PRS providers who are responsible for the content, product or services provided or who act as resellers or ‘aggregators’ on behalf of a number of such providers. The PRS providers are responsible for complying with most of the obligations imposed by the PSA code of practice mentioned above.

21.2. The rest of the revenue is shared by:

• the network where the consumer dials the number – also known as consumer’s ‘originating’ telephone company (for instance our wholesale partner, which receives a small fee for origination of the phone call); and
• the network which connects the customers call with the PRS service provider – also known as the ‘terminating’ telephony company. The terminating telephony company contracts with the PRS provider to terminate these calls in this way.