Roaming charges need not cost the earth!

11.33.45am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 16th Jan 2007

Commenting on mobile phone network 3's decision to abolish roaming charges for UK customers in seven countries, including Italy, Denmark, and the Republic of Ireland, Sharon Bowles MEP, Liberal Democrat Competition Spokesperson, said:

"This announcement is very welcome and I congratulate them for leading the way on scrapping roaming charges for data as well as for making and receiving calls. Mobile operators are slowly coming forward with better roaming deals now they are under threat of European legislation. They were given plenty of opportunities - it's a shame they were not willing to do this sooner.

"I am particularly pleased to see network 3 is including data and SMS. Until now mobile operators exclusion of data from new roaming deals had left me thinking it showed an unwillingness to cooperate.

"I hope other operators will follow suit. In the Parliament we are already discussing putting in a "sunrise" clause that would come into effect if the industry doesn't make any effort to lower the prices for roaming text messaging and data".

ENDS

Notes to editors

The European Parliament is currently discussing the Commission's proposed regulation which caps wholesale roaming charges and would force mobile phone companies to cut their costs. However, the current proposal does not cover text messaging or data, which are becoming more and more popular. Last year 3.8 billion text messages were sent just in October.

The Commission's proposal can be found at:-

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/roaming/roaming_regulation/index_en.htm