Campaign Guidance - Lithuania

Lithuania - Guidance and Regulations

Please ensure that you review the Regulator website - The Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (RRT). You must also follow the Laws and Regulations of the Republic of Lithuania.

Campaign

  • Price e.g. €5 or €5 per week / month for subscriptions (Message break down should be included as well, e.g. €5 per week (sent as 2 x €2.50 messages)
  • Service name must be listed at the top of the page
  • The service description should clearly inform the consumer what they are paying for. It must explicitly inform subscribers if it is a subscription service. 
  • The following line must be displayed "Pay via your mobile phone bill" 
  • Clear payment buttons e.g. Pay & Cancel
  • Stop / Cancellation details must be clearly visible and in capitals e.g. Send STOP to XXXX
  • Paid servicse can't be advertised to subscribers as "free service"
  • Support information e.g. local number and support email address must be displayed
  • Service Provider details to be displayed which must include: local number, email address, visiting address, the registered name of the Service Provider.
  • Clear contrast between the background colour and the font of the text.
  • Purchasing this service means that you waive your right of withdrawal
  • Price is including VAT and excluding the cost of mobile internet. 
  • Are you younger than 18 years? Ask for the bill payers / parents permission.
  • Any handset compatibility requirements for the service must be clearly laid out.
  • I agree to the Terms of use and Privacy Terms (linked to the full Terms and Privacy Policy). 
  • After the subscription service is ordered, the subscriber should get ALL MT SMS with clear information that this is a subscription service, the consumer should be informed about the one time and/or regular prices for the service and the instruction on how to stop the service

Click2SMS - Please be advised that Click2SMS flows are not allowed on the Telia network (previously known as Omnitel). Consumers must manually prepare and send the MO opt-in message. Click2SMS flows are in breach of the Code and if services are found using this flow, will result in an instant suspension on that network. 

Marketing

There are several different marketing methods available in Lithuania, however you must ensure that you do not mis-lead consumers, advertise a service using an unrelated banner or state that something is free, when that is not the case. Advertising for Services may not contain statements, images, suggestions or omissions as a result of which the consumer may be misled concerning the nature and characteristics of the Services offered. The price and the way in which it is calculated must not be misleading.

You will need to provide our Compliance Team with information on your marketing plans, along with copies of any banners that you intend to use.

If you plan to use the customer's details to market to them in the future, you must gain permission from the user and ensure that you provide them with a clear and simple method to opt-out.
Please be aware that you are expected to store your advertisements for one year. They must be available on request, for the purpose of complaint handling and enforcement.

Message Flow

Language: Lithuanian

Subscriptions

Double Opt-in: The user MUST send TAIP (YES in English) to agree and start the subscription.

  • EN: "Text TAIP to <short code> for your subscription to <service name>, € <amount>/<period>. You pay via your telephone bill. Info: <service url>. "

Welcome: After the subscription service is ordered, the subscriber should get ALL MT messages with clear information that it is a subscription service, the consumer should be informed about the one time and/or ongoing charges prices for the service and the instruction on how to stop any subscriptions. After the consumer has actively given consent, they must receive a Free Welcome Message, which includes the following text:

  • LT: Prenumerata [PERIOD COST]Eur/[period]. Atsisakyti siusk 'STOP [KWD]' i [SHORTCODE]
  • EN: Subscription [PERIOD COST]Eur/[period]. Unsubscribe 'STOP [KWD]' to [SHORTCODE]
For your reference, "week" is "savaite" in Lithuanian.
  • EN: You have subscribed to <service name> for €X per <period via your telephone bill. Want to cancel? Text STOP to XXXX. For help go to <service url> or call <telephone number>. 

Billed: Message must always include the same "Service name" 

  • "Happy Days" {Content or content URL included here}

Reminder: Exactly 3 months after registration, the Content Provider must send the consumer a free information SMS message, which contains the following text:

  • EN: Your subscription to <service name>, is about to end, the costs are €X per Week. Send TAIP to continue the subscription. Help? call <telephone number helpdesk>. 

Stop: 

  • EN: You are now unsubscribed from the {Service name} subscription and will no longer receive messages from {shortcode}.

Miscellaneous

Subscription service: If you cannot bill the user of a subscribed services (because the telephone is switched off or unreachable, the pre-payment card is empty, or for any other reasons), you can, after the first unsuccessful billing, try to bill the user for 5 successive calendar days and continue provision of the service.

If the beneficiary of services cannot be billed for 5 successive days, you should terminate the billing attempts, consider that the user has terminated the subscription himself and terminate the provision of the service to the user.

Customer care / Refund Policy

All service providers must have a detailed customer care process and refund policy in place. Consumers need to know how to gain help should they require it and you need to confirm a refund policy for those that require one or are eligible for one.

This will be discussed in detail, to ensure that our customer care team can resolve any queries that are received from the networks or regulator. 

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