Tackle text message rip-off, say MEPs

2nd July 2008

AS thousands prepare to head to the continent for their summer holiday, Wales Euro-MPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan are urging EU action to tackle rip-off charges for texting home from the beach.

The Labour MEPs have written to the EU Telcoms Commissioner demanding Europe step in and force mobile phone companies to cut costs for sending SMS texts when in EU countries like Greece, Spain and France.

Last year, the EU forced companies to reduce mobile charges for calling home from abroad and gave companies 12 months to slash their text messaging charges. As there has not been an adequate fall in text charges, the EU Telecoms Commissioner is now considering whether to start the process of forcing companies to reduce the costs.

GLENYS KINNOCK said:

"Most of us have returned home from our summer holidays to be greeted by a whopping - and unexpected - mobile phone bill littered with so-called 'roaming' charges. For sending a simple text home from the beach to check on family or friends, some operators are charging customers extortionate and unnecessary tariffs - up to 20 times more than the cost of sending a text from home.

"The European Parliament warned the mobile industry that they must cut costs. They failed to do so, and now we are urging the Commissioner to step in to protect consumers."

ELUNED MORGAN added:

"Protecting consumers and their interests is an essential part of the EU's overall objective to improve the quality of life of all Europeans. Last year, by ending rip-off mobile phone charges, the EU struck an important victory for consumers and their pockets and we are determined to ensure this victory is extended to unfair text charges."