European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti warned yesterday that he may start regulating the prices mobile phone operators charge customers who travel across Europe.
"Roaming prices have not come down.
"As we found, prices for roaming remain high, in fact, some prices have increased since our inquiry (last year)," Mr Monti told a UBS Warburg conference in Barcelona.
"I remain concerned about roaming charges . . . and may take steps to ensure that roaming is regulated and cost-orientated - which at the moment it is not."
Mr Monti also said he would assess companies' hopes of cutting costs by sharing new-generation mobile phone networks on the basis of duration, geography and each competitor's position in current second-generation mobile phone markets.
"We will assess it (mobile network sharing) on a case-by-case basis," Mr Monti said.
Europe's former state-owned telecoms monopolies' efforts to open up their local fixed-line networks to rivals also came under fire, as Mr Monti declared that groups were using delaying tactics which were a serious matter of concern.
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