Ferry passengers charged exorbitant fees to use mobiles

FERRY passengers are being charged exorbitant prices for making mobile phone calls because the service is not subject to new EU limits on roaming charges.

Ferry companies, including Irish Ferries and Stena Line, use the services of Maritime Communications Partners (MCP), a Norwegian company, which allows mobile phones to be used at sea.

MCP said the higher charges reflect the higher cost of the satellite technology which allows passengers on board ferries and cruise ships to use their mobiles as normal.

Its network relays phone calls via the ship’s satellite connection and the mobile operators are charged for using the service.

The service, first introduced in 2004, automatically powers up when the vessel leaves port.

According to a Vodafone spokesperson, the distance from shore at which the system is powered on or off varies, depending on the specific laws for each port of call.

Mobile phone customers receive a text from the operator informing them that they are roaming on MCP’s maritime network and what it costs to make a call and send a text.

A spokesperson for O2 said the cost of using satellite technology, as opposed to standard terrestrial networks was very expensive. “As a result, O2 pays significantly higher wholesale rates to MCP for this service and this is reflected in the price customers pay.”

New regulations that came into force on July 1 last have fixed the cost of making a call in the 27 EU member states at 47 cent per minute (including VAT), and 18c to receive a call. It costs 13c to send a message.

O2 rates for calls made using MCP’s maritime network on ferries, which includes VAT, are €1.61 a minute to make a call; €2 to receive a call and 39c to send a text. Texts are received free of charge.

Vodafone charges €2.19 (including VAT) a minute when making and receiving a call using the MCP network. Sending a text costs 29c and receiving texts is free.

Meteor’s bill pay customers are charged the new EU regulated rates when using calls using satellite technology on the ferry, while pre-pay customers are charged €1.77 per minute (including VAT) to make a call back to Ireland and 60c a minute to receive a call. A text costs 39c.

A spokesperson for network operator 3 said they did not have coverage at sea as it does not have an agreement with MCP.

A spokesperson for ComReg, the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector, said because the MCP service was satellite-based, it was not subject to limits on mobile roaming charges enforced by the European Commission.

“We have asked mobile telephone companies to ensure their customers who are on ferries are aware of this,” he said.