Europe : Commenting on Oftel's announcement on mobile phone call termination charges, James King, senior policy officer at the National Consumer Council said:

'Oftel’s determination to press ahead with the cuts in rip-off mobile phone charges is welcome. But the regulator’s decision to allow 3G mobile phone operators the freedom to charge what they like for calls from fixed lines and other mobile networks leaves a gaping loophole. It is extremely short-sighted and totally illogical.

‘As the 3G market expands, a free-for all on 3G termination charges will hit callers hard, especially those who use land lines – often the elderly and those on low incomes.

People won’t know if they are calling a 2G or 3G network, so won’t know whether the termination charge is excessive.

‘The four mobile network operators wasted enormous amounts of their customers’ money on a Competition Commission Inquiry and a High Court Appeal, in a vain attempt to head off the cuts in charges to 2G networks. Now that the argument has to be re-run within the new EU rules, it would be unacceptable if the operators continued their Canute-like stance and appealed yet again against today’s decision. The operators should concentrate their efforts, instead, on ensuring the cuts feed through into customer bills.