Roaming phone charges chopped

MOBILE phone call roaming charges have been cut due to the European Union’s new maximum tariffs.

Making calls now costs a maximum of 43 centimes a minute (down from 46) within the EU while receiving calls costs no more than 19 centimes a minute (down from 22) – both sums before VAT. Text messages cost 11 centimes before VAT

However, the major change is that calls are being charged by the second after the first 30 seconds as operators had been rounding up to the nearest minute. This had meant 24% of calls cost more than they should.

The changes could cut roaming bills by 60%.

“All Europeans making calls or sending texts with their mobiles can experience the EU's single market without borders. The roaming rip-off is now coming to an end," EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding said.

Data downloads while roaming cost no more than €1 per megabyte, down from €1.68.