Sharon welcomes cheaper mobile calls across Europe (Sharon Bowles MEP)

Sharon Bowles MEP <info@sharonbowles.org.uk>

Sharon welcomes cheaper mobile calls across Europe

October 1, 2007 12:00 AM

The cost of using a mobile in another EU country is now much less under new EU regulations. Liberal Democrat MEP for the South East, Sharon Bowles, today welcomed the introduction of cheaper mobile phone calls for Britons travelling within the EU. The European Commission's new 'Eurotariff', which came into force on 30 September 2007, will see the cost of so-called 'roaming' charges between countries fall by as much as 50%.

Commenting today, Sharon Bowles said, "In the past, communicating with our friends, families or colleagues whilst travelling in Europe has been prohibitively expensive. These new rules will ensure that British consumers now pay a much fairer price for using their mobiles abroad."

Under the new rules the maximum charge for using your mobile in another EU Member State has been reduced to a maximum of 49 cents, or 38 pence, a minute for outgoing calls and 24 cents, or 19 pence, per minute for receiving calls. After a year the maximum rates will be cut further, to 43 cents and 19 cents.

Importantly, however, the new regulations only apply to voice calls. Prices for sending or receiving data (SMS messaging and internet) on your mobile in another EU country are unchanged.

Sharon Bowles added, "I'm delighted that the EU has acted to defend the interests of British consumers on this important issue. What we now need to see is more action from the telecoms companies to bring down the price of sending data whilst abroad."