Mobile phone firms hope for easier ride on roaming charges from EU
Friday, 9 March 2007
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Mobile phone companies are confident that the proposed regulation of international roaming rates will be less onerous than initially suggested by the European Commission, after the latest round of lobbying in Brussels.
European Parliament members are due to vote on proposals for regulating roaming fees in May, ahead of legislation coming into effect in time for the July holiday season. The European Commission has proposed slashing the cost of roaming by up to 70 per cent by regulating what mobile phone operators charge each other to connect calls between networks and, more controversially, imposing a cap on what mobile phone operators charge consumers.
Representatives of Europe's largest mobile phone operators, including Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile and Telefonica, addressed European Parliament members yesterday.
Richard Feasey, director of public policy at Vodafone, said: "I think we're getting a good hearing from all sides. This is not last ditch. There is widespread recognition that this has to come out in a way that doesn't kill competition."
Mr Feasey also applauded UK Government for being "forthright, effective and pretty robust on the roaming issue".
However Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner who has led the fight to force roaming rates down, called on the UK Government to abandon its opposition to regulation of prices at the retail level.
"I call upon national ministers, and in particular the British Government, to listen less to the lobbyists of the mobile phone operators and more to the interests of consumers."
She will meet European industry ministers, including Patricia Hodge, next week.
The European Commission remains confident that it will force through its proposals in time to pass the benefits on to consumers this summer.
Yet the mobile phone industry maintains that the recent reductions in the price of roaming services could convince European Parliament members that operators should retain some flexibility on pricing.
The German EU presidency has suggested a retail price cap of €0.5 (34p) a minute to make a roaming call and €0.25 to receive one.
