Leaders try to cull roaming charges
Prime minister Julia Gillard and her New Zealand counterpart
John Key have moved to ensure that visitors in each nation aren't
paying exorbitant roaming fees.
During bilateral talks, the two leaders discussed how to ensure
that their citizens don't get stung with huge bills - which can
reach up to thousands of dollars
Powers have been given to the Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission (ACCC) and New Zealand Commerce Commission
(NZCC) to ensure that telcos must offer local access services which
don't require the purchase of a domestic sim card.
Make It Cheaper says that relief from expensive roaming charges and other hidden fees won't
come from legislation.
The mobile market is a place where players are
gouging their customers of cash - and it will eventually
stop.
But it will stop due to smart competitors - Kogan have a mobile
phone plan on the Telstra network that costs $300 a year that
allows for unlimited calls, which works out to about $25 a
month.
Customers really don't
understand how call charges work and that is especially the case
when travelling overseas.
When travellers dial out while abroad, they pay a charge to access
the network of the country they are in and then they pay another
fee to access the network of the nation they are trying to
contact.
And these expenses relate to what deal Telstra, Optus or any
provider have made with the overseas network.
Over time, the
interconnectedness of the world and increasing competition will fix
this issue. It will get to a point where a seasoned traveler who
goes overseas frequently will be able to obtain a better rate
through negotiation with the provider.
In theory competition will weed out issues like
roaming charges but certainly governments creating awareness is a
good thing and formulating a framework for customers to feel
confident to try and scope out a better deal is also a
positive.
Talk to Make It Cheaper to compare phone plans and work out what
the best mobile plan is for you and your family.
