TelecomTV - EU report says roaming prices rip-off continues

Link: TelecomTV - TelecomTV One - News.

"Thus, the EC's doughty telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, says roaming subscribers are now routinely being billed for calls by the full minute rather than by the second, as is the norm when they make mobile calls in their home countries.

She says, "Unfortunately, it is commonplace now to find that roaming subscribers are billed for a minute when they have made a call lasting only 20 seconds. We have  found that the difference between minutes billed and actual call durations can vary, in favour of the operators, by 20 per cent and more."

Another area of EC concern is the rates charged to business subscribers who use Blackberry's and other PDA devices to send and receive email whilst roaming. The Commission says these charges are very high indeed but do not attract the sort of attention that they should as the bills for these services are paid by corporations rather than individuals. The EC says the excessive charges are distorting the real cost of doing business in Europe..."

Yes indeed - you can say that again!