Vodafone to slash roaming charges

London (Xpert4u.co.uk) May 9, 2006: Vodafone, the mobile telecommunications services company, would reduce its roaming charges for the customers using other firms' networks when abroad by at least 40 per cent.
The move would reduce the average cost of ‘network roaming’ in Europe from over 0.90 euros to less than 0.55 per minute.
The move is a sequel to European Union’s formal accusation of Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile unit and Vodafone for overcharging visitors from abroad when they use mobile phones in Germany. Vodafone's present move is in anticipation of a possible forced cut in the roaming charges by the European Union that termed the charges as excessive.
Reciprocal wholesale arrangements between Vodafone and other European mobile operators are further likely to reduce the roaming charges. It may result in voice calls within the EU at no more than 0.45 euros per minute from October 2006.
The EU executive said that profit margins for mobile phone operators vary between 90 to 100 per cent. The executive further said that regulation in one form or the other could be brought in as early as next year and the EU's plans fully implemented by 2008. Regulation can allow the customer to save somewhere between 40 to 60 per cent on mobile calls made abroad. Expert opinion: Vodafone’s move to slash roaming charges in line with EU’s expectations will make the mobile calls cheaper across the Europe. The move would substantially reduce the average cost of network roaming making it beneficial for the customers.