MOBILE INTERNET AND TEXT CHARGE CAPPING ON WAY

9.57.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 17th Jun 2008

Mobile phone operators' failure to regulate the cost of their own text and mobile internet services will mean new EU-wide price caps, like those successfully introduced on roaming mobile phone calls last year, according to a Liberal Democrat Euro-MP.

Mobile internet charges on UK phones while travelling in other EU countries have attracted bad publicity recently, with some holiday-makers unwittingly charged thousands of pounds for downloading computer games or episodes of their favourite TV series.

Local MEP Liz Lynne, Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, was a strong supporter of last year's price capping of roaming cost for calls across the EU. She said:

"Mobile phone operators have had six months to get their house in order and ensure pricing policies were reasonable and transparent. This has not happened, so the European Commission will press ahead with its investigation and is planning to cap prices to curb companies' worst excesses.

"New rules will be proposed in the autumn but in the meantime I can only advise people to be careful when texting or using the internet on their mobile phones while abroad. It is a mystery how anyone can justify charging thousands for downloading programmes and checking emails, so clearly action on this is needed."