Using a mobile phone abroad has become less expensive in recent months, according to an information notice published today by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
The Government's communications watchdog surveyed international roaming charges on Irish mobile phone networks for the period October 2007 to March 2008. It found that Irish retail roaming pricing, as reported on 31 March 2008, is on a par with or lower than the EU average.
Data collected by ComReg shows that the average price per Irish SMS sent while roaming is in line with the EU average.
The EU roaming regulation came into effect on June 30 2007. This law required mobile service providers to offer all customers a "Eurotariff" with a specified price ceiling by the end of August 2007.
On August 30th this year, the price ceiling was reduced in accordance with the annual reduction required by the roaming regulation.
The law also requires mobile service providers to send a free personalised pricing text message to an individual's mobile while roaming in the EU.
In addition, service providers are required to provide a free number where detailed price information may be obtained.
While welcoming reduced roaming costs for Irish consumers, ComReg expressed its concern that some roaming charges are billed in some cases on a per minute basis rather than per second. This means consumers are charged for unused service portions.
ComReg has recently updated its interactive price comparison web site www.callcosts.ie with a new mobile roaming price comparison section.
Consumers who are planning to travel within the EU can log onto the web site, enter their planned mobile roaming usage and get an estimate of their mobile roaming costs for that trip.