EU regulators set roaming rates

European Union telecom regulators have settled on a price they would like to see for roaming rates that EU operators can charge customers, although the new rule has yet to receive final approvals. According to the European Commission Web site, the new rates are expected to be in place by summer.
“I call on all Ministers and Parliamentarians currently working on the roaming regulation proposed by the European Commission last July to listen more to consumers and less to the industry lobbyists,” said EU telecom commissioner Viviane Reding in a statement.
The commission wants to reduce roaming within EU countries by as much as 70 percent. The proposal includes a maximum retail charge of 50 Euro cents, or about 67 U.S. cents, per minute, which reflects a 20 percent mark-up on the wholesale price.