You can block your phone, broadband, and TV from accessing certain services.

To allow you to control your costs, the operator is obliged to offer you various blocking services. With a call block, you can block your subscription from being able to call certain types of numbers. With a credit block, your connection can be blocked if you exceed a predetermined amount. Blocks for a telephony service should be free of charge, and the operator should inform you that these blocks exist when you sign a contract. Blocks must never prevent you from calling the national emergency number or other toll-free numbers. You have the right at any time to temporarily suspend a block or remove it entirely by contacting the operator.

Page summary

You can block your phone, broadband, or TV to prevent expensive or inappropriate calls and services. Operators must offer free blocks for different types of numbers and services, as well as the ability to set a cost limit (credit block). For TV, you can use parental controls, channel blocks, or age restrictions. There are also blocks for premium rate services and SMS. Blocks never stop emergency numbers and can always be removed if you contact the operator.

Block that controls your usage or consumption

Your operator should offer a free feature for monitoring and controlling the usage of your telephony or broadband service if billing is based on consumption. You should receive information before you reach maximum consumption. The operator should inform you of this when you sign the contract.

Block against calling certain numbers or sending SMS messages with higher charges

The operator is obliged to offer a block of outgoing calls to certain numbers. Number blocking can include all numbers starting with 00 (international prefix) or numbers in specific number series. A number block can also include numbers from a specific country or region.

Another type of call block applies to calls or SMS messages that have increased charges, such as premium calls.

You can have a credit block for calls

The operator is obliged to offer a block if you exceed a certain amount. The amount for the credit limit, i.e., the cap on how much you can call for, is determined in advance with the operator. The operator then commits to closing the subscription if the credit limit is exceeded, unless you notify that you want the service to remain active.

Updating the call cost occurs continuously, but at certain times, such as for calls abroad, the update may take longer. This is because there is a delay from when you have used the service until your operator receives the information that forms the basis for your invoice from the foreign operator. Therefore, your operator has no possibility to block your subscription before they have received this information, even if the credit limit is reached. Therefore, be aware that your block limit may be exceeded when you are abroad. Check with your operator how the block works.

Also, note that a credit block usually does not cover premium numbers, so you may need a separate block for such calls, check this with your operator.

There is no obligation to offer a block against data traffic

Operators are not obliged to offer blocks for data traffic when you surf in Sweden. However, you can activate a block when you are abroad.

You can block your TV with parental lock or channel blocks

Parental lock, or channel block, makes it possible to block TV channels completely, for example, channels that contain violent, pornographic, or other material not suitable for children. If the lock is activated, a code is required to view the channel.

You can activate “Parental Rating” for messages about age limits for programs or movies

Parental Rating (also called “parental lock”) means that a message is sent along with the program signal stating that the content is only suitable for persons over a certain age. Digital boxes can be set to turn off content classified for certain ages, such as 7+, 11+, 15+, and 18+. A special code is required to unlock the digital box and view the classified program.

Some digital boxes have time locks

Some digital boxes instead have a time lock that allows the receiver to be set so that it does not show a certain channel during a specific time of day. You can then choose the time and channel yourself. During that time, the digital box cannot be used without first entering a special code.

Check with your operator what possibilities there are to block channels.

You can activate a block against using mediated services billed on your mobile bill

All operators are obliged to offer their subscribers free blocks against premium telecommunication services. The blocks should be available both against premium calls and premium SMS and can be applied to both fixed and mobile phone subscriptions.

To set up a block on your subscription, contact your operator. Note that some operators may have different blocks for premium calls and premium SMS.

You can block your subscription from being able to call directory assistance

Since the end of September 2014, it has been possible to block a phone subscription from the ability to call 118 numbers.

 

Frequently asked questions

How can I find out which company has charged me for a premium rate service?
On the invoice from the operator, according to the rules decided by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), there should be contact information for the company responsible for a mediated service. Usually, there is a phone number for the company’s customer service on the invoice. If there is no phone number, you can contact...
Money is being deducted from my mobile bill by a company I don’t recognise – why?
Premium rate services are services billed via the phone bill from the operator but performed by another company. When the operator charges for a mediated service, the usual call or SMS cost goes to the operator, while the cost of the actual service goes to the company that provides the mediated service, the service provider....
Are minors allowed to use premium rate services or make other types of purchases via a mobile subscription?
The legal situation is not entirely clear when it comes to minors’ use of premium telecommunication services. It is the responsibility of the subscription holder to cover the costs incurred from telephony, including premium calls, in-app purchases, other premium telecommunication services, and international calls. If the subscription holder lends the phone to someone else, partner,...
What is a premium rate/third-party/other service on the invoice?
The bill may pertain to purchases made with the phone, such as chat and dating services, competitions, or various mobile services like ringtones. On the invoice, they are often referred to as mediated services with numbers that usually start with 0900-, 0939-, 0944-, 099- or five-digit short numbers, for example, 72 111. If your complaint...
Is the provider allowed to charge an invoice fee?
If the operator charges an invoice fee, it must be stated in the agreement. The invoice fee should be stated in the agreement or the operator’s price list. Most operators offer alternatives to sending out paper bills such as e-invoice or direct debit. If you choose one of these options, you can often avoid paying...
I haven’t received a bill – do I still have to pay?
It is important to know that you must pay regardless of whether you have received a bill or not. Therefore, contact the operator if you have not received a bill in accordance with the agreement. An operator has the right to charge you retroactively for up to three years. Therefore, it is very important that...
My invoice from the provider says I’ve purchased third-party or other services from a company I’ve never heard of. What is this?
Premium rate services are services charged via the phone bill from the operator but performed by another company. When the operator charges for a mediated service, the usual call or SMS cost goes to the operator, while the cost of the actual service goes to the company providing the mediated service, the so-called service provider....
I’ve been charged for calls to premium rate numbers I don’t recognise – what should I do?
It may be appropriate to first find out which company is behind the payment number on the invoice, as that knowledge can be useful when trying to figure out what has happened. The operator should provide contact details for the service/company that charged on the invoice. If you have been charged for premium calls that...
Can I get call itemisations retroactively?
The operator is not obliged to send out information about calls made further back in time than the most recent billing period free of charge. It is also not certain that this information is saved. If it exists, the operator may charge a fee to send the information to you. The operator determines the amount...
I have a brand new mobile subscription and have been charged for services I haven’t ordered. Why?
Have you recently acquired a new mobile subscription, a mobile broadband subscription, or a prepaid card with a new mobile number, and have you in connection with this been charged for premium services that you are not aware you have ordered? Then it may be that a previous user of the mobile number has started a subscription service of some kind that has not been terminated before the mobile number changed owner. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that a mobile number is not left long enough “in quarantine” before it is reused, and then started subscription services do not get terminated....

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