MEPs welcome mobile call cost cut

13th October 2007

CALLING home from Europe just got cheaper - thanks to an EU move to cut mobile phone 'roaming' charges.

Wales Euro-MPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan welcomed the new European Consumer Tariff, which automatically caps the so-called 'roaming' charges levied by companies when you use your phone elsewhere in Europe.

From this week charges will be almost halved at around 39p a minute, and will fall further each year over the following two years. Customers will also receive texts telling them exactly how much they are paying when using their mobile in other EU countries.

GLENYS KINNOCK said:

"For too long mobile phone operators got away with charging customers extortionate and unnecessary tariffs. But now, thanks to action from the EU, this week we welcome an end to rip-off mobile phone roaming charges.
"And our campaign for a better deal for mobile users won't end here. We are determined to extend it to tackle the massive overcharging for sending text messages and data roaming when in other European countries. "

ELUNED MORGAN added:

"I hope that mobile operators now understand the EU's ability to act. They must now move to voluntarily cut the cost of text messaging and data roaming or the EU will be forced to act there too.
"Protecting consumers and their interests is an essential part of the EU's overall objective to improve the quality of life of all Europeans. By ending rip-off mobile phone charges, the EU has this week struck yet another victory for consumers and their pockets."

Notes
1. According to the new EU regulation:
• The average wholesale charge (excl. VAT) that a "visited" operator can levy on a roaming customer's "home" operator for the provision of roaming calls will be capped at EUR 0.30 per minute. The cap, in line with MEPs' proposals, will decrease automatically by 2 eurocents per year over a 3-year period.
• The maximum retail charge (excl. VAT) for regulated roaming calls, meanwhile, will be capped at EUR 0.49 per minute for calls made and EUR 0.24 per minute for calls received.
• The cap for outgoing calls will decrease automatically by 3 eurocents per year; the cap for incoming calls will decrease by 2 eurocents after the first year and 3 eurocents after the second year.