Industry body urges more progress towards sender pays model and flat-rate tariffs.
The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has given a lukewarm reception to last week's decision by the European Union to place caps on data roaming charges.Though the trade body says it supports all measures that create greater transparanecy for end-users, it also points out that operators must be incentivised to invest in their networks.
Under the EU plans - which will come into force next July assuming they are ratified by the European Parliament - there will be a one euro per megabyte cap on the roaming fees operators can charge each other, with user connections cut if data usage goes beyond 50MB.
The proposals got a frosty reception from operators - France Telecom for one suggested that without income from roaming it won't be able to invest in the infrastructure required for sexy new services.
In a statement issued today, MEF global chairman Andrew Bud said: “MEF supports all measures that improve transparency of information and pricing on data roaming charges to increase consumer uptake of mobile internet across Europe.
"However, in setting a cap on wholesale data roaming charges, the European Commission should acknowledge that operators need economic incentives to invest in their infrastructure and mobile broadband services.
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"Our members are in favour of a mixture of flat rate data tariffs and sender pays data which would help ensure a transparent pricing regime to empower consumers while encouraging operators to continue investment in their networks.”
