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.