EU targets mobile roaming

The EU Commissioner does not find any justification for current high roaming costs. Furthermore, in spite of several previous warnings, European mobile operators have ignored the advice. So, the current strategy is more radical. EU has unveiled proposals to force mobile operators to cut by up to 40% the fees customers pay while traveling abroad. In Europe, roaming revenues are believed to amount to 10% of total roaming sales. It is not yet clear if the potential new regulation would include non-voice services.

EU proposal include several items:

• no roaming charges for consumers who receive a call when traveling abroad.

• A consumer traveling in the EU should pay a local tariff for a local call or a "normal international tariff" for calls made to foreign numbers.

The proposal will be debated in June by Telecoms ministers, and need approval from the European Parliament and E.U. governments.