[Ben]

Shock horror.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39246768,00.htm (full story)


Roaming Rip-Offs: Despite expressing concern last year, Ofcom says that it has no plans to introduce regulation into the market for data mobile roaming services

After voicing concern last year over the cost of data roaming abroad with a 3G card, telecommunications watchdog Ofcom has now said it has no plans to intervene to reduce these high costs because the market is in its infancy.

Instead the regulator says that while it intends to carry on working with European regulators on mobile roaming fees, it is not treating the issue as a high priority.

"We are not looking at data roaming at this time", a spokesman for Ofcom told ZDNet UK. "It is early days and it is only 2.5 percent of the market."


Well, d'uh, at these prices it's hardly going to be more than 2.5 percent of the market now is it.

Still, whatever. Roll on WiMAX. That should get some pulses racing.

[Hands0n]

I wonder if the telling line in the tale is "Instead the regulator says that while it intends to carry on working with European regulators ......."

Given that the EU have already said that they are going to put the EU Mobile Ops under their microscope for voice roaming I wonder if Ofcom are not being slightly opportunistic in deciding to allow the EU to make any rulings for them that will then be automatically enacted into UK law. Its less work for Ofcom and the UK Parliament, saves no end of green and white papers, endless consultations etc etc .....

Just a thought ....

[3g-g]

What I can't understand is this. All the operators know that data is the way things are going, it's been the model for the last 4 years, and slowly but surely it is begining to happen. There are new players about now, loadsa MVNOs and now we've got SKYPE and Google starting to show off their VoIP efforts, with no international charges to worry about what's the punter with SKYPE on his (and you can do this currently) Orange Wi-Fi eneabled SPV M2000 going to pick to make that all important business call to Japan? The GPRS data out of his 1Gb included bundle or the £1.50 a min call? Slightly off the roaming data charge track, however... Well maybe not... Same punter in Japan wants to call back to the UK, turns on his Wi-Fi, finds a hotspot, makes a call using SKYPE... completely bypasses all network international call charges. Things are changing very quickly, data is becoming all more important, the networks want you to use data on their network, yet it's still so expensive? Let me think of some cliche sayings... wake up and smell the coffee... surely it's a plain as the nose on your face... make data cheaper and we'll use more!

[maxspank]

Yes indeed, data is really expensive, and not just for roaming. Had a customer on the phone yesterday that had rubg up £1000 in charges for using his mobile as a modem he used 500 or so meg!

£2.56 per megabyte is very expensive, especally if viewing the actual interntet on a pc!

[Hands0n]

Wow, thats so s c a r y :eek: But easily done by anyone not clued up to the likely data charges, which is probably 98% of any MNOs customers!! They probably think its all part of the package!

I do think that, as a first step, all operators (MNO and MVNO) need to be regulated to put a "health warning" for data charges in peoples faces. Otherwise they're behaving little better than the likes of Jamster. Yes, the prices are there to be found .......... but that simply is not good enough, I say.

Then, after they've got over the hissy fits at being regulated to do something as plainly obvious as that maybe they'll put a sensible sized thinking cap on to address the issue at its core, that data charges are prohibitively high in the first place. They stifle innovation and competition within and across borders.

[crowfield99]

I think something must have gone wrong but when I was in Cyrpus September 2005, I used Vodafone Live! All the time and it cost me 0. I did not tell Vodafone mind :D

But yes I agree, CHARGES ARE HIGH! They need to come down.

[3GScottishUser]

Vodafone Live is free when abroad!!

They have not started charging for its use yet whilst roaming. Its a great way to keep up with news and home events when away. I have used it in Germany, Denmark, Spain, Portual and Belgium without any charges and they know i use it because it appears on my itemised web-bill.

[Ben]

Free on Vodafone-owned networks only, I assume? That promotion was due to end some time ago was it not... they've not enforced the charges still?

[3GScottishUser]

Free until 31st March 2006 according to he Vodafone website. Looks like it applies to Vodafone and preferred partner networks.

[crowfield99]

I take it they class Cytamobile one in Cyprus thats why i was not charged?