Cost of sending texts when abroad to plummet 65%

THE cost of sending text messages when abroad should tumble next year by up to two-thirds for Irish people, while charges for downloading data on a mobile phone will also be slashed.

Despite repeated warnings from the European Commission, the mobile phone companies have failed to cut their roaming costs for customers who use their phones when in other EU states.

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan welcomed the move and said he would push his fellow EU ministers to support the plan and implement it as quickly as possible.

Roamed SMS (short messages service) cost the companies less than 1 cent per message, but they charge an average of 29c — ten times higher than the average domestic text, a survey of the market found last month.

When the price of roamed calls was capped last year, the companies were warned to cut the cost of all their other roaming services.

“But despite this grace period they have done nothing about it. The prices of SMS roaming is exactly the same as it was last year. They have adopted a bunker mentality”, said telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding.

In Ireland the charges range from 15c to 39c per message, including VAT. But under the proposal this will be capped at 11c maximum, before VAT.

There was good news too for those who download data or music from via their mobile phone.

The average cost to download a megabyte in Ireland varies between €6 to €1.80 as part of a bundle. This will be capped at €1 a MB, Customers must be informed of the charge in advance and be able to choose a cut off for the amount charged.