BRUSSELS, Belgium-Following several similar reviews, the European Regulators Group-a body comprised of national telecom regulators in Europe-plan to survey mobile operators in Europe about their mobile roaming rates.
The questionnaire will provide the European regulators with comparable information on wholesale international roaming prices, discounts and traffic direction abilities.
The information will help the regulators undertake a market analysis and indicate the need for regulation of wholesale international roaming in Europe, the group said. It plans to present preliminary results in May.
European wireless carriers have been criticized for charging steep rates to their users who roam into other European countries. The European Commission has targeted several U.K. carriers in an investigation of excessive roaming rates.
“I hope that today’s initiative of the European Regulators Group will help us to identify remaining competition problems in the 25 member states and to resolve these as soon as possible,” said European Commission Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.
