Bid to cut mobile roaming charges by 70%

ROAMING costs will be slashed by up to 70% and travellers will be able to check mobile phone costs before they call under proposals unveiled by the European Commission yesterday.

But tourists and business travellers alike will have to wait two more summers before availing of an estimated €5 billion worth of savings a year.

Despite a massive fight by the major mobile phone companies and objections from a number of European Commissioners, including Charlie McCreevy, the proposals were finally agreed yesterday morning.