Campaign Guidance - Belgium

Belgium - Guidance & Regulations

Please ensure that you review the GOF Guidelines, so that you are familiar with the regulatory requirements in Belgium.

See below for some regulations in Belgium, these have been taken from the GOF guidelines quoted above and the Proximus Checklist. Please ensure you read, understand and apply these points to your campaign.

Pictogram layout

  • Service providers are required to add a logo to their landing page.
  • The pictogram is required for all service types, including one-time and subscriptions, though the wording will change slightly depending on the service that you are running.
  • Please review the GOF Guidelines, to ensure that you are using the correct version as this will depend on the charging frequency that you are using. The logo must match how it is displayed in the GOF guidelines, please see page 11 for further details.


Campaign

Please ensure that the price is clearly displayed and the correct frequency is included, for example:

  • NL: “Abonneren €4 / week”
  • FR: Abonnez-vous €4 / semaine
  • EN: Subscribe for €4 per week

This text must be displayed on your landing page:

  • NL: “Om je te abonneren op dienst {service name} aan {price} EURO/{frequency}, stuur {keyword} naar {shortcode}”
  • EN: To subscribe for service {service name} at {price} EURO/{frequency} send OK to {shortcode}

After each mention of the shortcode, you must put the price in the following format:

  • NL: X,XX EUR/SMS verzonden – X,XX EUR/SMS ontvangen
  • FR: X,XX EUR/SMS envoyé – X,XX EUR/SMS reçu

If incoming and outgoing message have the same price, you may use the following format:

  • NL: X,XX EUR/SMS verzonden / ontvangen - for example: 0000 (0,15 EUR/SMS verzonden /ontvangen)
  • FR: X,XX EUR/SMS envoyé/reçu -  for example: 0000 (0,15 EUR/SMS envoyé – 1 EUR/SMS reçu)
  • EN: 0000 (0,15 EUR/SMS send/received)

The price must be mentioned on the same line as the shortcode.

  • A clear description of the paid service being offered.
  • A link to the full general Terms and Conditions
  • A request to confirm that the end user is 18+
  • The service must strictly follow the GOF guidelines
  • Please note that:
    • Iframing the website is forbidden
    • You must not have any prefilled tick boxes
    • Pre-filled SMS are also prohibited
    • Click2SMS is not an option, end users must type the content of the message themselves, confirming a subscription.

Please be advised that all services on the Proximus network must have a 24-hour free trial period. The correct subscription confirmation message can be found in the Message Flow section, in English, French and Dutch.


Small print / Disclaimer / Terms on the landing page

The following points must be included in the small print / disclaimer:

  • If the offered service is a subscription service.
  • Opt-out instructions, for example:

NL: Om te stoppen, stuur STOP naar 9997 (0.15 EUR/SMS verzonden)

FR: Envoyez STOP à {shortcode} (0,15 EUR/SMS envoyé - 1 EUR/SMS reçu).

EN: To stop, send STOP to {shortcode} (0,15 EUR/SMS sent).

  • Maximum number of messages per period, this must be the same as in the subscription logo.
  • Help desk (at least 1 of the below must be displayed)
  1. Phone Number
  2. Email address
  3. Website
  • GOF guidelines statement (depending on what language you are using):

NL: De dienstaanbieder verklaart kennis genomen te hebben van de GOF-guidelines

FR: Le fournisseur de services déclare prendre en compte les GOF-guidelines

  • Legal aspect statement (depending on what language you are using):

NL: De verwerking van deze gegevens is onderworpen aan de bepalingen van de wet op de bescherming van de persoonlijke levenssfeer van 8 december 1992.

FR: Le traitement des données est soumis aux conditions légales sur la protection de la vie privée du 8 décembre 1992

  • The statement “Minors may not use this service without the permission of their parents”
  • The full identity of the owner of the service
  • Geographical address of the organiser of the service

All points on the landing page must also be included in the full terms and conditions.

Please note that we need information about each service that you submit. This will include, company name, customer care, the correct business VAT number. A company not established in Europe needs to share its MOSS number. This information will be passed to the network and used for any customer care complaints received.


Campaign flow

Free message and Billed messages must be sent vi certain short codes, these will be confirmed once you are set up.

STEP 1: The first opt-in will be made via the WEB.

STEP 2:  A one-off standard confirmation message must be sent to the user.  Please see the message format below:

  • NL: Om je te abonneren op dienst {service name} aan {price} EURO/{frequency}, stuur OK naar {shortcode} (de kost van dit bericht is 0,15 EURO)
  • EN: To subscribe for service {service name} at {price} EURO/{frequency}, send OK to {shortcode} (the cost of this message is 0,15 EURO)

STEP 3:  Confirmation of the subscription by the user is required via SMS, by sending the keyword to the short code stated. The user will need to reply with “OK”. 

  • The only keywords allowed are“GO”,“OK” or “Start”.

STEP 4:  Confirmation of the subscription service must be sent to the user via a welcome message, as below:

  • NL: Bedankt voor uw abonnement op dienst {service name} aan {price} EURO/{frequency}, om te stoppen stuur STOP naar {shortcode} (max 0,15 EUR/SMS verz). Vragen? {email}
  • EN: (Thank you for subscribing to service {service name} at {price} EURO/{frequency} to stop send STOP to {shortcode}. Help (email)

STEP 5:  You may then send and bill the consumer via the first set of billed messages.

The network IDs for this can be found in your my.messagecloud account, if you click here, then click "Promote".


Message Flow

Language: Dutch or French can be used.

Confirmation / Double Opt-in - Required for all subscription services

  • NL: Om je te abonneren op dienst {service name} aan {price} EURO/{frequency}, stuur OK naar {shortcode} (de kost van dit bericht is 0,15 EURO)
  • EN: (To subscribe for service {service name} at {price} EURO/{frequency}, send OK to {shortcode} (the cost of this message is 0,15 EURO)

Welcome - This is a free message

  • NL: Bedankt voor uw abonnement op dienst {service name} aan {price} EURO/{frequency}, om te stoppen stuur STOP naar {shortcode} (max 0,15 EUR/SMS verz). Vragen? {email}
  • EN: (Thank you for subscribing to service {service name} at {price} EURO/{frequency} to stop send STOP to {shortcode}. Help (email)

Billed

  • The service name should be included in each message sent to the consumer, so that they know what the message relates to.

Reminder - If, between the End User phone number and the Short Code, through which the service is offered, communications take place for more than €10 a month, the End User must be notified by means of a free SMS sent by the Service Provider.

  • NL: Informatief gratis bericht van {service provider name}: u heeft deze maand reeds XX€ gespendeerd voor de dienst van Short Code {shortcode number}
  • EN: Informative free message from {service provider name}: you have already spent XX€ this month for the service of Short Code {shortcode number}
  • FR: Message informatif gratuit de {service provider name}: vous avez déjà dépensé pour XX€ ce mois-ci pour le service {shortcode number}

Stop

  • A confirmation message should be sent, confirming that the user has been unsubscribed. You should include the service name and support email address.

Proximus Users only

> One time billing

  •  EN: Free SMS: You have payed {price} euro for {service_name}
  • FR: SMS gratuit: Vous avez payé {price} euro pour {service_name}
  • NL: Gratis SMS: U hebt {price} euro betaald voor {service_name}

> Subscriptions

First SMS, sent after the user triggers the subscription

  • NL: Gratis bericht van DDDD: u bent ingeschreven voor de Dienst van NNNN aan xx euro/PPP. 24H GRATIS. Om te stoppen: stuur SSSS of bel 0X/XXX XX XX
  • FR: Message gratuit de DDD: vous êtes abonné à un Service de NNNN à xx euros/PPP. 24H GRATUIT. Pour y mettre fin: respondre SSSS ou appelez le 0X/XXX XX XX
  • EN: Free message from DDDD: you are subscribed to the Service of NNNN at xx euro/PPP. 24H FREE. To unsubscribe: send SSSS or call 0X/XXX XX XX

Second SMS, sent after the 24 hour free trial

  • NL: 24H gratis periode is verlopen. Er is XEUR/week gefactureerd en uw toegang tot SERVICE NAME is verlengd. Automatische vernieuwing. Stoppen? Stuur STOP.
  • FR: 24H gratuites ont expiré. Vous êtes facturé XEUR/semaine et l’accès à SERVICE NAME a été prolongé. Renouvellement automatique. Pour arrêter, envoyer STOP
  • EN: 24h free period expired. You have now been charged XEUR/week and the access to the SERVICE NAME has been prolonged. Autorenewal. To stop, send STOP.

Monthly SMS

  • NL: Gratis bericht van DDDD: u bent ingeschreven voor de Dienst van NNNN aan xx euro/PPP. Om te stoppen: stuur SSSS of bel 0X/XXX XX XX
  • FR: Message gratuit de DDD: vous êtes abonné à un Service de NNNN à xx euros/PPP. Pour y mettre fin: respondre SSSS ou appelez le 0X/XXX XX XX
  • EN: Free message from DDDD: you are subscribed to the Service of NNNN at xx euro/PPP. To unsubscribe: send SSSS or call 0X/XXX XX XX

Question? Speak with our Compliance Team for any advice for this or any other market.

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