News
3 calls for EU action on data roaming
Matt Grainger Jul 24 2008, 1:04pm
Operator says high data roaming costs could stifle demand for mobile internet.
3 has used the news that it has amassed a million mobile broadband customers in Europe to rail against what it calls 'excessive' data roaming charges.
The company says the roaming costs charged between networks make it very expensive for customers to use mobile broadband when abroad and using different networks.
Christian Salbaing, of 3’s parent company Hutchison Whampoa outlined the problem: “Mobile broadband’s greatest strength is its mobility, yet consumers are rightly fearful of the excessive charges faced when they roam off our networks. Some networks are charging the equivalent of €12 to watch a three minute YouTube clip or up to €180 to download an hour of television, this could inflict serious harm on a growing market.”
Telefonica and T-Mobile have both reduced their data roaming charges recently in the face of pressure from the EU.
The GSMA, meanwhile, says data roaming in Europe increased by 75 per cent last year.
3’s European networks offer a ‘3 like home’ tariff, allowing customers to use mobile internet on 3’s sister networks across Europe, while paying the same as they would pay for domestic use.
The company claims the removal of these international roaming costs has increased data roaming volumes by 2,500 per cent over the last twelve months.
3 has offered a reciprocal wholesale rate of 25 cents per megabyte to European networks, compared to the current rate of nearly €4, but so far only five have accepted.
“The EC has an opportunity to bring the same clarity and value to data roaming as it did so successfully with voice last year,” said Salbaing. “The difference between domestic and roaming data rates is far greater than with voice, only wholesale action can put an end to charges that are sometimes hundreds of times greater than our customers pay at home.”
