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UK mobile operators "not off the hook" with Brussels over roaming

Consultancy Pure Pricing has been very kind to the 3 roaming deal, and indeed, any obsever would concede that "it costs nothing to receive a call overseas" is a big improvement over the normal - but PP summarises the state of roaming as "They're still nowhere near off the hook as far as what Brussels wants."

The consultancy is open about having 3 as a client, and so its press release understandably focuses on the recent "3 like home" announcement by 3; but director Jo Lynch conceded that Commissioner Vivianne Redding [right] wouldn't be satisfied.

"I haven't seen any indication that Commissioner Redding was particularly impressed with any of the recent improved roaming deals," said Lynch today. "The new deal is definitely better, as our analysis shows... but there's still the problem of 'staying online' with your preferred wireless provider."

This problem arises because while 3 may have been able to arrange a zero-cost incoming call [above, left] while subscribers are in a 3-owned network area, such as 3 Italy - as soon as the phone moves to a different network, that network's charges apply. Below, right, you see that a pre-pay 3 customer in Spain gets skinned.

The European footprint of 3 isn't the largest, and it would be very silly to assume that just because you started a call in a 3-owned cell, you're still in that cell when the call finishes. So even in Italy, the zero price estimated above could be simply wrong, and when you get home you'll find you were actually in a TIM cell for ten minutes, and you have a fat bill to pay.