EU: Will abolishing roaming fees jumpstart the mobile market?

In continuing its efforts to revamp the continent’s mobile telecommunications market, the European Commission has called upon lawmakers to do away with roaming fees. Europe’s mobile providers will not likely welcome the idea as, according to reports, increased competition has cheapened services for customers and made roaming service fees a major part of income for various companies. If the European Parliament accepts the Commission’s plea, it would likely face “intense” lobbying from telecom operators; according to reports, operators say the plan could strengthen the already dominant position of giants like Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom, as they would span far throughout Europe. The request, made by commissioner Neelie Kroes, is part of the Commission’s efforts to strengthen a single-market structure throughout Europe, but the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association has deemed the suggestion as “invasive.” Mobile telecom companies in Europe are currently rallying for more lenient merger regulations to strengthen their position ahead of new infrastructure requirements.