Five European Operators Cut Mobile Data Roaming Charges
By Dianne See Morrison - Thu 07 Feb 2008 04:39 PM PST
Five European mobile phone operators announced today that they are cutting the cost of surfing the mobile internet while abroad, saying they had accepted the European Commission’s challenge to give consumers more competitive data roaming prices.
Three in the UK, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Sweden and Denmark, along with KPN in the Netherlands, Belgian operator BASE, German operator E-Plus and Poland’s Play, have agreed to a wholesale rate of 25 euro cents ($0.36) per megabyte. The new cost goes into effect on 1 March.
EU telecoms minister Viviane Reding has warned European operators that she is keeping a close eye on data roaming charges, and if prices aren’t reduced, she would take “appropriate action,” before the close of the year. Ofcom echoed her concerns just a week ago. Their threats have obviously had an effect. Telefonica (NYSE: TEF) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) have both recently reduced the cost of retail roaming charges, while T-Mobile is said to be working on an agreement with other operators on a lower price for wholesale charges. The five operators also challenged other network providers to reduce their rates, stating that in order for consumer charges to come down across the continent, more mobile operators had to cut their data roaming prices as well. Reuters reports that the wholesale price now is typically between one and two euros ($1.44 - $2.90) per megabyte across Europe.
The five operators said the average retail roaming rate is currently 5.24 euros ($7.59) per megabyte, while British telecoms regulator Ofcom puts the UK figure at £4.11 ($8.19) per megabyte, which it noted would mean a Powerpoint presentation could cost “tens of pounds” to download. (Release.)
Posted in: Companies, Operators, 3, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Countries, Europe, Germany, UK, Legal, Regulatory
