Privacy Policy (before Feb'15)

Introduction

Our privacy policy explains how we collect, use, share and protect your personal information. If we update this policy, we'll post any changes on our website so that you'll always know how your personal information is being used or shared.

1. How we're collecting your personal information

a. We collect your personal information when you:

buy a product or service from us (including buying products online, over the phone and in a retail store or other retail outlet);
register for a specific product or service (such as registering your name and address details for a pay-as-you-go phone or setting up an email account with us);
subscribe to newsletters, alerts or other services from us;
ask us for more information about a product or service or contact us with a question or complaint;
respond to a competition, prize draw or survey;
use our network and other Talk Mobile products or services; or
visit or browse our website.

b. We may also collect information about you from other organisations if this is appropriate, including fraud-prevention agencies, business directories and credit-reference agencies.

c. We may use cookies (small text files stored in your browser) and other techniques, such as web beacons (small, clear picture files used to follow your movements on our website), to collect information about how you use our websites, and web-related products and services. This allows us to customise our website for you so that it is relevant to your interests and needs. We may use a persistent cookie (a cookie that stays linked to your browser) to record your details so that we can recognise you if you visit our website again. (See Section 3 on 'Using your personal information' for more details on how we use information we collect using these cookies.) You can choose to refuse cookies or you can set your browser to let you know each time that a website tries to set a cookie. For more information about cookies (including information on how to turn them off) please visit www.allaboutcookies.org

2. What personal information we're collecting

a. The information we collect about you will depend on the Talk Mobile products and services you use and subscribe to. The information we collect includes, but is not limited to, the following.

Your name, address, phone number, date of birth and email address.
Credit or debit-card information, information about your bank account number and sort code or other banking information.
Your preferences for particular products, services or lifestyle activities when you tell us what they are or when we assume what they are based on how you use our products and services.
Your contact with us, such as: a note or recording of a call you make to one of our contact centres; an email or letter you send to us; and other records of any contact you have with us.
Your account information, such as: dates of payment owed and received; top-up information; the subscription services you use; and any other information to do with your account.

b. We will also collect information about how you use our products and services, such as:

the phone numbers that you call or send messages to (or the phone numbers that you receive these calls and messages from);
the date, time and length of the calls and messages you send or receive through our network and your approximate location at the time these communications take place;
the level of service you receive, for example network faults and other network events which may affect our network services;
your website browsing information (which includes information about the websites you visit and information about your browsing and how you use our website whether through your mobile or a PC); and
the date, time and length of your internet browsing and your approximate location at the time of browsing.

3. Using your personal information

a. We may use and analyse your information to:

carry out a credit check if you are applying for a contract for airtime services and to assess your application (see more details about our credit-checking process);
process the goods and services that you have bought from us and keep you updated with the progress of your order;
keep you informed generally about new products and services unless you do not want to receive our marketing messages;
provide the relevant service or product to you, which includes other services not included in your agreement with us and services that use information about where you are when using your mobile equipment (location information), and to contact you with service-related messages about changes to the service or product;
contact you with offers or promotions based on how you use our products and services, including your calling and messaging activities, location information and browsing information (unless you have asked us not to contact you – see Section 2 on 'Collecting your personal information' for more details);
bill you for using our products or services or to take the appropriate amount of credit from you;
respond to any questions or concerns that you may have about using our network, products or services;
let you know about products and services offered by other companies (including offers and discounts that we have specially negotiated for our customers) that we think may interest you, if you have chosen to receive this information;
protect our network and to manage the volume of calls, texts and other use of our network (for example, we identify peak periods of use so that we can try and make sure that the network can handle the volume at those times;
understand how our different customers use our network, products and services so we can develop more interesting and relevant products and services for our customers, as well as personalise the products and services we offer you;
carry out research and statistical analysis and monitor customer use of our network, products and services on an anonymous or personalised basis;
prevent and detect fraud or other crimes and recover debts or trace those who owe us money;

b. The location information that we use will be your approximate location based on the nearest mobile cell site. As a result, it will change as you move around with your mobile phone.

c. We will store your information for as long as we have to by law. If there is no legal requirement, we will only store your information for as long as we need it.

4. Sharing your personal information

a. We may share information about you with:

companies in the Talk Mobile group of companies;
partners or agents who are involved in delivering the products and services you have ordered or used;
credit-reference agencies, fraud-prevention agencies, business-scoring agencies or other credit-scoring agencies;
debt-collection agencies or other debt-recovery organisations;
law-enforcement agencies, regulatory organisations, courts or other public authorities if we have to or are authorised to by law; or
emergency services (if you make an emergency call), including your approximate location.

b. We will release information if it is reasonable for the purpose of protecting us against fraud, defending our rights or property or to protect the interests of our customers.

c. If we are reorganised or are sold to another organisation, we may transfer any personal information we hold about you to that organisation.

d. We may need to transfer your information to other group companies or service providers in countries outside of the EEA (European Economic Area). This may happen if our servers or suppliers and service providers are based outside of the EEA or if you use our services and products while visiting countries outside the EEA.

e. We may share your information with partner organisations we have chosen carefully so that they might contact you about their products and services if you have agreed to this.

5. Security

a. We have specialised security teams who are constantly reviewing and improving our measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, accidental loss or destruction.

b. If we have a contract with another organisation to provide a service on our behalf, we will make sure they have appropriate security measures and only process your information as we have authorised. Those organisations will not be entitled to use your personal information for their own purposes. If necessary, our security teams check these organisations to make sure that they are meeting the security requirements we have set.

c. Communications over the internet, such as emails, are not secure unless they have been encrypted. Your communications may go through a number of countries before being delivered - this is the nature of the internet. We cannot accept responsibility for any unauthorised access or loss of personal information that is beyond our control.

6. Your privacy rights - subject access requests

a. The Data Protection Act (DPA) gives you the right to see personal information we hold about you. If you want copies of this information, please send us a written request with the following:

Your full name and address
Your Talk Mobile account number
A cheque for £10 (admin charge) made payable to Talkmobile Limited
Details of any specific information you require
One proof of identity - we can accept a photocopy of either your birth certificate, your passport, your driver's licence
One proof of identity of address - we can accept a photocopy of a recent credit or debit card statement, a utility bill showing the same name and address as on your Talkmobile account.

Please send your written request, cheque and proof of identity and address to:

Talkmobile Limited
Vodafone House
The Connection
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 2FN

We recommend you send your request by Recorded Delivery but this is not compulsory. Please note that we do not take online payments.

What happens next?

Once we receive your request, along with your cheque and proof of identity, we'll get back to you within 40 days.

b. If you believe we are holding inaccurate information about you, please contact our customer services team (through the 'Contact Us' page on our website) so we can correct it.

c. If you no longer want to receive marketing messages from us, please tell us by contacting our customer services team and you will be 'opted out'. (You can contact customer services through the 'Contact Us' page on our website.) You can choose to opt out of all marketing communications or to opt out of marketing in one of several ways (such as email, text, phone or post).

d. If you feel your privacy has been breached by us, then please write to:

Talkmobile Limited
Vodafone House
The Connection
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 2FN

or call customer services on 0333 304 8064.

Updated: September 2017