Mobile operators clash with Brussels

Mobile phone users can expect the cost of sending text messages from abroad in the EU to be much cheaper from the summer of 2009. The European Commission proposed in September 2008 legislation to reduce the price of roaming text messages by 60% as of 1 July 2009. EU citizens travelling in other EU countries should pay no more than €0.11 per SMS compared to the current EU average of €0.29.

The Commission also wants to improve transparency for surfing the web and downloading data on a mobile phone while abroad: consumers used to cheaper data services at home should be better protected against roaming 'bill shocks' that can run to thousands of euro. The proposals will now be submitted to the European Parliament and Council, who must agree before they become law. The EU already reduced charges for making and receiving calls abroad (voice roaming) by 60% in summer 2007.

European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/1386: Roaming: Commission acts to cut cost of texting and mobile data services abroad http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1386&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: DG Information Society: Activities: Roaming http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/roaming/index_en.htm

EurActiv, 24.9.08: Commission caps SMS roaming price at 11 cents http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/commission-caps-sms-roaming-price-11-cents/article-175636

BEUC: Press Release: PR/2008/038 (23.9.08): Roaming: No More Nasty Surprises http://www.beuc.org/BEUCNoFrame/Docs/6/BBNKJOPBKKJCDFNNDAGHMNEOPDBW9DB3TK9DW3571KM/BEUC/docs/DLS/2008-00774-01-E.pdf

European Commission: PreLex: COM(2008)580 http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/detail_dossier.cfm?CL=en&ReqId=0&DocType=COM&DocYear=2008&DocNum=0580

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