“Slash mobile phone roaming charges!"

MEP calls for operators to cut overseas mobile phone roaming charges in time for the summer holidays

South East England MEP Nirj Deva today (Wednesday) welcomed the launch of a new website designed to provide information to consumers on the cheapest ways to use their mobile ‘phones abroad.

GSM Europe today launched a website at www.roaming.gsmeurope.org that enables people to find the best tariffs for making and receiving mobile phone calls when travelling abroad this summer. The site, which features up-to-date prices supplied directly by 75 operators from across the European Union, is the most comprehensive and accurate online source of roaming information.

Available in six languages, the site shows prices by individual operator for a two-minute peak-time call to a fixed-line in the traveller’s home country, prices for receiving a two minute peak-time call from home and the cost of sending and receiving text messages when travelling within Europe.

Speaking from the European Parliament, Deva, who has frequently found himself the victim of exorbitant bills for telephone calls made whilst abroad, said:

"I hope that this website will put pressure on the mobile phone industry to lower their roaming charges before the summer holidays.

“Every summer many constituents get in contact with my office to complain about the huge bills they have faced for using their mobiles abroad.

“It is ridiculous that receiving a phone call in Spain can cost 60p per minute and sending a text message in Italy can cost 50p. This needs to stop.

“This website will serve as an extremely useful resource to help my constituents in South East England get the best value for money”.