Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2007/04/24/roaming/

Germany moots higher EU roaming caps

Where ever I lay my cap, that's how I roam

By Bill Ray

Posted in Networks, 24th April 2007 07:02 GMT

Germany, the European Union president, is suggesting that the proposed cap on mobile-phone roaming be increased to €.60 per minute for outgoing calls, and €.30 for incoming; as opposed to the €.40 and €.15 currently proposed.

The original cap was voted by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, but here is still room to manoeuvre until the proposal is voted on in May t. The GSMA has complained loud and long that the original proposal would leave mobile operators broke, and while such opponents now see little benefit in fighting the concept of a cap, they can still try to have the figure set as high as possible.

As we've mentioned before: if European roaming rates do come down, then something else will have to go up. The probability is that it will be international roaming outside the EU, which will have to go up, as competitive pressure makes increasing domestic rates more difficult. ®