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Mobile Telephony.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2004

Thursday, 21 October 2004

Questions (23)

Liz McManus

Question:

18 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the action he intends to take arising from the recent preliminary finding of an investigation carried out by the EU Commission, that mobile phone users are being charged excessive roaming tariffs by Vodafone and O2 when travelling to the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25649/04]

View answer

Written answers

The matter referred to relates to an investigation taken by the EU Commission into the wholesale rates charged by O2 and Vodafone to mobile network operators of other countries, to permit roaming on the O2 and Vodafone networks by mobile phone users who were visiting the UK from other countries. The scale of the wholesale rates naturally impacts on prices charged to retail consumers. This issue would have impacted on mobile phone users of different nationalities visiting the UK, including Irish mobile phone users. The preliminary findings were made in relation to O2 and Vodafone in the UK by the European Commission in July 2004. The probe is ongoing. I await with interest the outcome of the probe.

However, it is important to understand that the probe relates to rates charged in the UK by UK operators. ComReg or I do not have any jurisdiction in this matter. Any remedies arising from the outcome of the probe would be a matter for the European Commission, Vodafone and O2.

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