Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2006/05/22/t_mobile_roaming/

T-Mobile cuts World Cup roaming charges

Over the moon

By Tim Richardson

Posted in Networks, 22nd May 2006 11:51 GMT

T-Mobile is slashing the cost of using a mobile in Germany for England football fans travelling to the World Cup.

With up to 200,000 footie fans expected to travel to Germany over the next six weeks, the cellco - the "official mobile sponsor of the FIFA World Cup" - has cut roaming charges for Germany to 25p a minute for contract and prepay customers.

The tariff applies to making or receiving calls while abroad and is available as a bundle of 40 minutes of calls for £10. The bundles last for 42 days (until July 30) and punters can only buy three bundles each during the promo.

T-Mobile roaming charges for Germany usually cost between 75p and £1 a minute. But while 25p a minute is an improvement, it is still way off the 12p a minute T-Mobile charges some users to make calls within the UK.

The temporary cut still won't appease the European Commission (EC), which wants to introduce new regulations that will force mobile operators to make it cheaper for consumers to use their mobile phones while abroad.

Among the proposals already outlined are plans to curb excessively high wholesale prices charged between operators, and guarantees that any cost savings are passed on to consumers.

In particular, the EC wants mobile users to be charged the same price while abroad as they pay in their country of residence. ®