All-Wales Euro-MP Jill Evans has welcomed EU plans to tackle the high costs people face to use their mobile phones abroad. Research published this week has shown that mobile phone roaming costs vary widely from country to country and between networks.
For example, the price of calling home from Italy for people with phones on a UK network varies from £2.34 with O2 to £3.94 with Vodafone for a four minute call. In contrast, receiving calls from home when on holiday in Italy varies from £1.13 with 02 to £2.98 with Vodafone.
People on holiday in Slovenia can expect to pay between £2.34 with O2 and £5.57 with T-Mobile to call relatives in Wales by mobile phone. Receiving calls from Wales costs an average of £1.13 with 02 up to £5.17 with T-Mobile, again based on the cost of a four minute call.**
The European Commission has launched an information campaign to inform consumers about differences in pricing and to encourage mobile phone network operators to set cheaper and fairer prices. The Commission has said that it will consider legislation if the situation does not improve in the next six months.
Speaking from Brussels, Jill Evans MEP (Plaid Cymru) commented:
"More and more people are now relying on mobile phones to keep in touch with friends and family when they're abroad on holiday or on business. Many will then get quite a shock when they open their phone bill after returning home.
It's hard to find any justification for the high prices the networks charge for using phones abroad - and the difference in prices from one network to another or one country to another can be quite startling.
That's why I welcome this campaign to inform mobile phone users about the costs involved in using their phones abroad. And if the industry doesn't bow voluntarily to pressure to reduce costs I'll be backing proposals in Parliament to enforce that."
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