The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has called for government intervention to end to current “price gouging” global roaming practices experienced by Australians who take their mobile phones and other portable devices to New Zealand.
It claims Australian consumers pay excessive voice, text and data prices for international roaming generally, and consumers are being left in the dark about global roaming pricing arrangements.
ACCAN is a government-backed peak body appointed to represent consumers on communications issues including telecommunications, broadband and emerging new services.
It made its “price gouging” comments on the NZ situation following a call for comments by Australia’s Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy in May.
This followed the launch of a joint discussion paper, Trans-Tasman Mobile Roaming, by Conroy and NZ’s Minister for Communications and IT, Steven Joyce, who has also expressed dissatisfaction with the global roaming situation,
ACCAN’s submission recommends adoption of European-style pricing interventions which ensure global roaming rates within the EU are capped, and that, when customers cross a border, they must be sent an SMS informing them of the mobile roaming rates they’re facing.
Other recommendations by ACCAN for the Australia-NZ situation include:
– Creation of a centralised Web site listing all operators’ best rates for trans-Tasman roaming;
– Creation of billing caps;
– Personalised SMS messages on arrival; and
– Unbundling of mobile roaming services from domestic mobile services, allowing consumers to choose one telco to provide their domestic mobile services and potentially a different telco to provide international mobile services.
