Posted: 28th Nov, 2008 By: MarkJ
European Union (EU) telecoms ministers have given their approval to September's mobile data proposals (
original news), which have been designed to help prevent customers suffering from
Mobile Broadband "
bill shocks" after using their mobile Internet connections abroad:
Improved transparency: Customers travelling to another Member State should receive an automated message of the charges that apply for data roaming services. On 1dt July 2010, operators must provide customers with the opportunity to determine in advance how much they want to spend before the service is "cut-off".
Wholesale caps for data roaming: The Commission also proposed a 1 per megabyte safeguard limit for wholesale data roaming fees, to make them more predictable for operators, stimulate competition and enable even more transparent retail prices.
However final approval is still required from the European Parliament, although the proposals are not expected to meet with any problems and should start being introduced from next summer.