Analysts say mobile companies have paid the price for years of excessive data charges after the European Parliament pushed ahead with plans to cap roaming costs at 0.20 per MB by 2014.The price of data while on business or holiday has led to outrageous bill-shock for people using smartphones outside their home country, with some UK operators charging up to £4 per MB.
The caps, first mooted last month, are the first limits on what phone carriers can charge in Europe and are seen as a reaction to the operators' reluctance to act in the interest of their customers. Charges will be capped at 0.70 per MB, falling to 0.20 by 2014.
Analysts say the networks have pushed the patience of the European authorities too far. On the other side of the debate, operators have long been entrenched in the mindset that roaming is a premium service and should be charged accordingly at a premium to home rates, said Paul Lambert, an analyst with Informa Telecoms and Media, in a blog post.
While they have long enjoyed significant revenues from this position, persistent noises from the European Parliament and Council, along with a willingness to act on them, should have made it clear to them that they could only enjoy this position for so long.
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Topic: Europe finally halts the roaming rip-off (Read 4187 times)