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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| EU agrees mobile roaming prices | EU agrees mobile roaming prices |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| European Union member states and members of the European Parliament have reached a preliminary deal on cutting mobile roaming charges. | European Union member states and members of the European Parliament have reached a preliminary deal on cutting mobile roaming charges. |
| Under the deal, it will cost a maximum of 49 euro cents (£0.34, $0.66) to call home from another EU state, and 24 cents to receive a call. | Under the deal, it will cost a maximum of 49 euro cents (£0.34, $0.66) to call home from another EU state, and 24 cents to receive a call. |
| These caps would drop a little in 2008, and more in 2009. | These caps would drop a little in 2008, and more in 2009. |
| If MEPs and the telecoms ministers formally back the deal the new prices could come into force over the summer. | If MEPs and the telecoms ministers formally back the deal the new prices could come into force over the summer. |
| A vote is expected next week in the European Parliament, while telecoms ministers are due to consider the package on 7 June. | A vote is expected next week in the European Parliament, while telecoms ministers are due to consider the package on 7 June. |
| Compromise | |
| The EU's German presidency had pushed for price caps of 60 cents to make a call, and 30 cents to receive one. | The EU's German presidency had pushed for price caps of 60 cents to make a call, and 30 cents to receive one. |
| The European Parliament originally wanted caps of 40 cents and 15 cents. | The European Parliament originally wanted caps of 40 cents and 15 cents. |
| Brussels drew up its plan to regulate roaming rates after discovering that some roaming calls cost up to six times those of local mobile calls. | Brussels drew up its plan to regulate roaming rates after discovering that some roaming calls cost up to six times those of local mobile calls. |
| It says roaming charges are now regularly as high as one euro per minute. | It says roaming charges are now regularly as high as one euro per minute. |
| Member states have been pushing for a system whereby consumers would opt in to the capped rates. | Member states have been pushing for a system whereby consumers would opt in to the capped rates. |
| MEPs originally said consumers should be switched automatically on to the new rates, unless they deliberately opted for a different package. | MEPs originally said consumers should be switched automatically on to the new rates, unless they deliberately opted for a different package. |