The European Commission will push ahead with proposed rules to cut the cost of using a mobile phone abroad despite industry warnings and watchdog concerns, the EU's top telecoms regulator said on Tuesday.
Earlier this week, mobile phone operators said regulating roaming charges, or the fee consumers pay to make or receive a call abroad, could force them to hike domestic tariffs or slash investment to avoid operating at below cost for some services.
Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica have announced cuts in roaming charges by up to about 40 percent to try to head off regulation.
EU Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding told the European Parliament that she would not be swayed by industry's concerns or pre-emptive tariff cuts.
"In July, the Commission will present a draft regulation. I have noticed that, in the meantime, understanding the Commission will act, some market players announced reductions," she said.
"This is of course a very interesting move and in the interest of consumers."
Several members of the parliament backed her plans, one of the most popular policies to come out of Brussels in years.
The parliament, along with the EU's 25 member states, will have the final say on the new rules, which Reding said were still planned to enter into force in the summer of 2007.
"I would like to stress how important it is for her to implement this regulation as soon as possible ... we are talking about the mobility of workers," said Maria Badia i Cutchet of the parliament's socialist group.
Reding said the aim was to bring down roaming charges to "the real cost".
Liberal member Sajjad Karim said mobile operators had been able to exploit the EU's internal market, while hoisting charges.
"This is another example of the EU standing for the interests of EU consumers over that of overwhelming power of monopoly companies," Karim said.
But Malcolm Harbour from the centre-right political group urged Reding not to devise regulations that would force operators to deliver services at below cost price.
Reding said industry had been warned for a long time, by herself, Parliament and national regulators for punishing consumers when they crossed a border and made a phone call.
I hope the prices for roaming will drop. Now they are so high you feel like they are robbing you!
