Most Irish mobile phone users are being charged the maximum possible roaming fees allowed under new European Commission rules, with only "3" bucking the trend.
A new commission website details roaming fees charged by mobile phone companies throughout Europe. "The point of the website is to name and shame," said an commission spokeswoman.
Meteor, 02 and Vodafone have been shamed. They charge the maximum allowed rate - 49 cent per minute to make calls, and 24 cent to receive calls.
Their rival, 3, charges substantially less: 32.2 cent to call, and 15.7 cent to receive, according to the commission site.
A roaming fee is the cost of using your mobile phone while travelling abroad - customers pay a fee to make and receive calls while travelling outside their home country.
Before the commission intervened with its 49 cent "Eurotariff", roaming rates varied wildly amongst different operators in member states.
Irish customers could be charged, for example, 21 cent to make calls in France, and €1.50 in Germany.
While it was possible for users to use their phone to select a new network provider in each country, it was very difficult for them to know in advance how much they would be charged.
Now, mobile phone users know exactly how much they will be charged, and can even choose the cheapest operator before they travel. "If you want cheaper prices you need to look at the prices charged by your operator at home," said the commission spokeswoman.
All Irish operators have waited until the last possible moment to apply the new fees. The reduced rates for Irish customers will come into force at the end of August.