Mobile roaming fees set to fall 70% under EU deal

The cost of ringing home from Europe on a mobile phone could be capped at 30p a minute following an ‘agreement in principle’ by EU telecoms ministers.

Mobile operators' ‘roaming’ charges could be cut by up to 70% from July if new laws come into effect.

Karen Darby, CEO of price comparison service SimplySwitch.com comments: "This ‘agreement in principle’ is a huge step in the right direction. Mobile phone users have long suffered from rip-off prices when making or receiving calls overseas. While the new regulation has yet to be passed, we fully support any action that leads to a better deal for customers.

“When these plans were announced in December, we were concerned that this legislation could drag on for years. If rigid caps were imposed on roaming charges by July 2007, it would provide some much-needed proof that the EU has both the teeth and the will to act on the consumer’s behalf.

"Until these price caps are put firmly in place, we would always encourage customers travelling abroad to search out the best deals. International charges vary dramatically between operators, so customers who make lots of overseas calls are advised to do their research before they travel.

"Most major networks, such as T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and Orange, offer ‘bolt on’ deals that can reduce the price of overseas calls by up to 80%. These usually cost between £2 and £3 per month, and customers are free to sign up just for the month that they’re on holiday. Vodafone also offers a free service called ‘Passport’, where customers pay a fixed 75p connection fee but are then charged for calls at their usual UK rate.”