EU Commissioner Reding to EuroFora: EU, No1 Mobile Phone Network worldwide, affords Gift to Citizens

Slashing prices on Mobile Phone communications, including Internet, for People travelling among EU Countries, starting from 2009 Summer Holidays, EU takes advantage of the fact that "Europe is the most advanced area in the World on Mobile phones' Network", said to "EuroFora" EU Commissioner for Media and Information Society, Viviane Reding.

Moving "faster than usual", at the eve of the European Elections, EU Parliament agreed with EU Council "in only 7 Months", on a compromise initially drafted by the French EU Presidency since November 2008 and finalized by the Czech Presidency in 2009, for a package of measures which will enter into force from July 1st, 2009.

Luc Chatel, French Government's Spokesman and State secretary on Industry and Consumers' policy, hailed the agreement endorsed by EU Parliament on "roaming"'

- "It's not only because Europe created the GSM Mobile Phone Protocol, which has become now a World protocol.  But also because the EU has the best Network in the World, using one and a same protocol : GSM, and this facilitates inteconnexions. While in other continents mobile communications are still divided between various, different protocols. On the contrary, EU is the most integrated area of all ", Reding told "EuroFora".

On the newest component, that of Internet communications, it's only a beginning :  - "This is a new Market, and it's wiser to let business free to develop it further before any new regulation", she added.

- "Europe's Mobile phone Email and Web surfing is going to be boosted soon by investments in New Generation Networks, able to transmit a much larger amount of Data at Higher speed", said to "EuroFora" a co-Rapporteur for the Telecoms' package, British conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour.

"Mobile Phones' roaming and Telecoms' package are, indeed, both parts of larger developments", he added.

3 Main points wil change from July 1st, 2009 :

- SMS' prices will be lowered from 0,29.€ currently, down to 0,11.€ for each SMS sent between EU Countries, (- 60%).  

- The ceiling for voice Phone calls will be slashed by almost -50% until 2011 , starting with a maximum of 0,43 € per Minute (excluding VAT) for outgoing, and a maximum of 0,15 € per minute for incoming roaming calls.

- For Web Surfing and Data downloading, prices caps will start with 1 € per MB on July 1st, 2009, arriving at 0,50 € per MB in 2011.

To avoid "Bill Shoks" (sometimes Thousands of Euros !) discovered by surprised Consumers only afterwards, there will be Limits on Data Downloads, allowing to interrupt the communication, which should not exceed 50€ per Month.

"EuroFora" knows well the feeling, for having been badly surprised by Bills costing ...several Hundreds of Euros € in the Past, without any previous Warning, simply for surfing the Web the Time to drink a coffee at "Einstein" Café in Berlin's Unterderlinden (Germany) after a Franco-German Summit on Christmas 2005, and only for writting and sending an Article overnight from an Hotel at Brixen/Bressanone (South Tyrol, Italy) during Summer Holidays in 2008 with a French mobile phone...

After many demarches, thanks also to the comprehension of the providers, things were settled, in one way or another. But if we knew, we'd naturally have waited until ..next Morning to use Free Internet connexions at a local Press Center. But often, Time is too short, and Deadlines too strict for all that, so that Efficiency comes first.

Viviane Reding herself, an experienced former EuroMP from the heart of Europe : Luxembourg, strategically located between Brussels and Strasbourg, between France and Germany, should certainly know very well personally what "roaming" really means...