New mobile rules to prevent post-holiday bill-shock - 2010-03-01

Labour MEPs have welcomed new rules that give consumers extra protection from unexpectedly high mobile phone bills.

The EU rules on mobile data roaming, which came into force on 1 March 2010, are designed to prevent consumers from building up big bills because they are unaware of the cost of accessing the internet on their mobile.

Catherine Stihler MEP, Labour's spokesperson on consumer affairs in the European Parliament, said: "For many people mobile communication is now just as much about Facebook and Twitter as calls and text messages. These new rules will ensure that people can enjoy their holidays without coming home to a shockingly high bill."

The rules mean that people can set a limit on how much they are willing to spend on data roaming while abroad in another EU country. Customers will also be warned when they have reached 80 per cent of that limit.

Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy was chair of the European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee when it played a crucial role in setting the new rules. She added: "Consumers can now determine just how much they're willing to spend on their mobile while they're abroad. It's a shame that despite the huge numbers of complaints, mobile operators dragged their feet and we have had to use the full force of the law to get consumers a fair deal on prices." 

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