3GScottishUser
29th February 2012, 08:26 AM
From BBC Newsbeat:
MEPs have voted today for a significant cut in the price companies can charge for calls and texts and - for the first time ever - to introduce a maximum fee for data usage.
It's the latest in a long running effort by EU officials to increase competition in the single market when it comes to mobile roaming.
The committee of MEPs says it wants staged cuts so, by 1 July 2014, operators won't be able to charge roaming customers any more than 15 cents (12p) a minute to make a call; 5 cents (4p) to send a text; and 20 cents a megabyte (16p) for data.
EU officials say previous attempts to introduce price measures have failed to spark competition between operators.
Currently, the limit on what can be charged for making a call is around 30p and sending a text about 9p.
However, there's no cap on what companies can charge per megabyte for data.
As well as cutting usage costs, MEPs may also back a plan to allow new types of mobile contract to try to create a "roaming market" within the EU.
It would allow customers to sign contracts for roaming deals, separate from their main provider, but on the same number.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17188133
MEPs have voted today for a significant cut in the price companies can charge for calls and texts and - for the first time ever - to introduce a maximum fee for data usage.
It's the latest in a long running effort by EU officials to increase competition in the single market when it comes to mobile roaming.
The committee of MEPs says it wants staged cuts so, by 1 July 2014, operators won't be able to charge roaming customers any more than 15 cents (12p) a minute to make a call; 5 cents (4p) to send a text; and 20 cents a megabyte (16p) for data.
EU officials say previous attempts to introduce price measures have failed to spark competition between operators.
Currently, the limit on what can be charged for making a call is around 30p and sending a text about 9p.
However, there's no cap on what companies can charge per megabyte for data.
As well as cutting usage costs, MEPs may also back a plan to allow new types of mobile contract to try to create a "roaming market" within the EU.
It would allow customers to sign contracts for roaming deals, separate from their main provider, but on the same number.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17188133