The proposed caps on the cost of using a mobile within Europe have been approved, just in time for voters to give their approval come June.

The final agreement is pretty much what was proposed last month, with a cap on the cost of texting at €.11, and voice calls at €.40 per minute. Data gets a cap at €1/MB - more than many operators are already charging, but that's wholesale so won't directly affect customers. However, it will give them grounds for complaint if they're being charged much more than that.

These tweaking of rates aren't actually as significant as they appear, and not as important as the introduction of the Euro Tariff in 2007, but the legislation is a crowd-pleaser that comes nicely timed ahead of the European Parliamentary elections (June 4 in the UK).

The deal won't be official until the formal vote at 1pm - it is a foregone conclusion following the debate yesterday, but those with way too much time on their hands can watch the vote live. ®

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