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| EU reaffirms roaming cap pledge | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to cap the cost of mobile phone calls for people who travel abroad within Europe. | |
| The move comes after a survey conducted for the European Commission found 70% of Europeans want it to act to reduce the cost of cross-border mobile calls. | The move comes after a survey conducted for the European Commission found 70% of Europeans want it to act to reduce the cost of cross-border mobile calls. |
| The commission first said in July that it intended to cap roaming charges. | The commission first said in July that it intended to cap roaming charges. |
| Europe's mobile phone networks insist legislation is not needed as they are already reducing their roaming prices. | Europe's mobile phone networks insist legislation is not needed as they are already reducing their roaming prices. |
| Four-times higher | Four-times higher |
| The Commission said its latest survey also found that calls to a mobile in another country could be as much as four times higher than a call within one nation. | The Commission said its latest survey also found that calls to a mobile in another country could be as much as four times higher than a call within one nation. |
| Commissioner Viviane Reding is leading the attack on roaming charges | Commissioner Viviane Reding is leading the attack on roaming charges |
| European Union Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding, who is leading the plan to bring in caps, said the current high prices were putting off people from using their phones while on holiday. | |
| "Excessively high prices restrict mobile usage while abroad," she said. | |
| "This hurts consumers, it hurts European industry and it hurts Europe." | |
| The legislation to cap roaming charges is currently being debated by the European Parliament, and the Commission says it wants the new law adopted before the 2007 summer season. | The legislation to cap roaming charges is currently being debated by the European Parliament, and the Commission says it wants the new law adopted before the 2007 summer season. |
| However, mobile phone operators insist the legislation is not needed, and firms such as Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom have already announced plans to reduce their roaming charges. | However, mobile phone operators insist the legislation is not needed, and firms such as Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom have already announced plans to reduce their roaming charges. |
| According to the Commission, the European roaming market is worth 8.5bn euros ($11bn; £5.7bn) a year, or 5.7% of the sector's revenues. | According to the Commission, the European roaming market is worth 8.5bn euros ($11bn; £5.7bn) a year, or 5.7% of the sector's revenues. |
| The Commission estimates that its legislation will save European phone users 5bn euros a year. | The Commission estimates that its legislation will save European phone users 5bn euros a year. |