MobileMonday Global

^{Data rates also under scrutiny} Reding to ready to lower the SMS price ceiling

EU telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, is finalizing plans to cap cross-border text charges, within the 27 state EU, at euros 0.11.

According to consulting house BWCS staff Reding will reportedly seek support for her plans, part of a wider package of mobile market changes, from fellow commissioners in late September or early October.

Reding succeeded last year to force through price caps on voice calls made from mobile handsets from one EU country to another.

In July of this year the Commissioner suggested that the price cap for texts should be set at between euros 0.11 and euros 0.15 before tax. However, she has now settled on the lower limit. This only one third of the current cost of sending a text message across EU borders. It is estimated to be at an average of EUR 0.29. In many countries you can send a text domestically for one tenth of that.

According to some press reports, the Commissioner is also keen to push down the price of downloading mobile data. Reding's proposals include plans to charge for call by a second or at most by one half minute, caps on data down load rates, and extending the cap on the price of mobile voice calls from 2010 to 2013.

Related News

• Redding takes Berlin to court (2 Jul 2007)
• EU commissioner supports DVB-H mobile TV standard (17 Mar 2007)
• EU undecided on Pan-European telecom regulator (14 Feb 2007)
• European incumbents dominate telecom retail markets (21 Oct 2006)
• EU accuses countries for failing E112 (12 Oct 2006)
• Vodafone calls EU SMS regulation unwarranted (30 Jun 2006)
• EU to pacify public fears on RFID (11 Mar 2006)
• EU probes roaming costs again (11 Dec 2004)

No comments