EU to cut cost of texting for travellers

Mobile phone users can expect the cost of sending text messages from abroad in the EU to be much cheaper next summer. The European Commission today proposed to reduce the price of roaming text messages as of 1 July 2009. EU citizens travelling in other EU countries should pay no more than €0.11 per SMS compared to the current EU average of €0.29.

According to EU figures, pre-paid SMS tariffs for travellers from Malta are currently €0.35. (According to the Go website, customers on contract are charged between 19c and 33c. Others pay €0.35).

The Commission also wants to improve transparency for surfing the web and downloading data on a mobile phone while abroad: consumers used to cheaper data services at home should be better protected against roaming "bill shocks" that can run to thousands of euro. The proposals will now be submitted to the European Parliament and Council, who must agree before they become law.

The EU reduced charges for making and receiving calls abroad (voice roaming) by 60% this summer.

“Europe, through its GSM standard, made mobile telephony attractive across the globe. It is now time to demonstrate that there is a truly single telecoms market in which consumers can use their mobile phone in all 27 EU countries without being punished when crossing a border," said José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. "If we get this done quickly we will see tremendous growth in SMS and data services, and send a message that lower roaming charges can be a win-win situation for all."

Viviane Reding, EU Telecoms Commissioner, said: "Using your mobile phone abroad in the EU should not cost unjustifiably more than at home, whether for making calls, sending texts or surfing the Web. Europe's 37 million tourists and 110 million business travellers are waiting for the promise of the border-less single market to finally have a positive impact on their phone bills.”