RIGA - An attempt by the European Commission to reduce roaming mobile charges
across Europe has been generally successful, according to an EC
survey 's though several Baltic mobile companies are singled out for criticism in it.
The EU Roaming Regulation became law on 30 June 2007 in all 27 EU
member states. It says that roaming charges should not exceed 0.49
euros for making and 0.24 euros for receiving calls abroad (excluding
VAT). Operators can compete below these price caps, by offering even
cheaper prices.
But when the Commission attempted to track the implementation of the
new law, it met a decidedly uncommunicative attitude from several
Baltic communication companies.
Estonian companies EMT and Elisa are named as failing to respond, as is
Latvia's LMT. Bite, which operates in both Latvia and Lithuania is cited, too.
Pan-Baltic operator Tele2 was the only company to reply to the
Commission's report on time and to confirm that it was complying with
the new regulations.
Responding to the EC's criticism, Bite PR Manager Natalja Rodiomova
told The Baltic Times: "According to the new regulations, we have to go
through a process of informing our customers about the new tariffs.
That is what we are doing at the moment. We have already publicly
announced that all of our customers will enjoy reduced roaming charges
from August 30."
Asked why the EC said it had received no response, Rodiomova said:
"Most probably the Commission did not receive all of the documentation
they wanted by their deadline. But we are still providing them with
documentation and we are confident that they will be satisfied when
they have everything."
EU Telecom Commissioner Viviane Reding gave a thinly-veiled warning to
operators who continue to drag their feet, saying: "Only in a few cases
's the exception rather than the rule 's we note attempts to delay the
effects of the regulation by non-transparent or possibly even
anti-competitive behaviour. These will have to be analysed very
carefully by national and European regulators. If we find evidence for
behaviour that violates the law, the EU Roaming Regulation foresees
sanctions which could be complemented by the full force of competition
law."
The Commission, in cooperation with the European Regulators Group, will
do a more detailed analysis in October. The results will be included in
the EU Roaming Regulation's evaluation that the Commission has to
present to the European Parliament and to the EU Council of Ministers
within 18 months after the regulation enters into force.
The Baltic Times attempted to contact the other companies named as
non-respondents in the report 's but received no response from them.
