Brussels, 06/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 5 March, the European Commission decided to freeze the decision by the Spanish telecommunications regulator, CMT, to delay by one year the introduction of cheaper mobile termination rates (MTR). These rates are the rates that mobile networks charge other networks for delivering voice calls, to cover the cost of using the network. Such charges are invoiced to the person making the call and are calculated very differently from one member state to the next. According to the timetable outlined in the Commission's 2009 termination rates recommendation, cost-oriented mobile termination rates should be applied across the EU by 31 December 2012. The Spanish regulatory body had decided to defer application of the cheaper rates until January 2014, in order to safeguard the interests of the mobile telephony sector in Spain. Neelie Kroes, Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, has said: “Spanish consumers should not have to pay over the odds for mobile calls, especially when domestic finances are so tight. Industry has already had three years to adapt and a further delay of one year is unjustifiable.”
According to Commission guidelines, MTR must be set at a level equivalent to what it costs an efficient operator to terminate calls on his network. In many countries, including Spain, MTRs are currently much higher. In a letter sent to CMT, the Commission explains that the decision to defer the deadline for implementing its recommendations is not in line with the principles and aims of EU rules for telecommunications, whereby member states must promote competition and consumers' interests in the EU as well as single market development. CMT now has three months in which to find a solution, working with the Commission and the body of European telecoms regulators (BEREC). (IL/transl.jl)