European Lawmakers Vote To Cap Roamed SMS Charges, Data Downloads; Differences Remain
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The European Parliament’s Industry Committee voted on Monday to reduce the charges for sending text messages and for downloading data while consumers are roaming outside of their home country, a move that could pave the way for the lower costs starting July 1.
SEE ALSO: Mobile Data, SMS Price Cap Opposed By Group Of Euro MPs
Reuters report that in a 21-8 vote, lawmakers backed the €0.11 (£0.10) cap per roamed text for consumers, in line with European Commissioner Viviane Reding’s Roaming Regulation proposal submitted in September. They also voted on a wholesale price cap of €0.50 (£0.46) per megabyte on roamed data downloads, half of Reding’s proposed a cap of €1 (£0.92). Finally, lawmakers voted to extend a €0.40 (£0.37) per minute price cap on roamed voice calls to 2012, a year short of Reding’s proposed 2013.
The next step is an April vote in the European Parliament. But before prices can take effect on July 1, as is being proposed, parliament and EU states will have to negotiate the last set of differences that surfaced in Monday’s vote.
European carriers, meanwhile, weren’t too happy with the idea of a €0.50 (£0.46) per megabyte cap on roamed data downloads. Martin Whitehead, European Affairs Director of the GSMA, a carrier industry group, told Reuters, “We are concerned with the committee reducing the safeguard cap to €0.50 (£0.46) on data roaming. We believe one euro is a true safeguard and once you get to €0.50 (£0.46) you are introducing a price cap.” The group, however, was “pleased” with the decision to remove roamed voice call caps a year earlier.
Posted In: Legal, Regulatory, EC, Mobile
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