OPTA and NMA: Calls to mobile phones are to become substantially cheaper

Charges for calls from landline to mobile phones will fall sharply on 1 January 2004. This drop is directly due to the reduction of mobile phone companies’ terminating tariffs. Their high terminating charges constituted grounds for OPTA and NMa to institute proceedings. NMa has now halted its current investigation into potentially excessive tariffs. OPTA will be amending its policy on the resolution of disputes involving market parties. Callers from fixed to mobile phones will be better off by at least €200 million in 2004.

The current terminating tariffs will be almost halved by 1 December 2005. This reduction will occur in three stages. The first reduction will amount to approximately 20% and will occur on 1 January 2004. As soon as the new telecommunications bill becomes law, OPTA will conduct another study of the mobile phone market. OPTA anticipates that tariffs will decline further after the end of 2005.

OPTA has previously attempted to reduce terminating tariffs in the rulings that it has handed down in disputes involving market parties. This stranded on objection from the courts. NMa then took up the fight where OPTA had left off, and proceeded with an investigation into potentially excessive terminating tariffs. In the light of the substantial reduction of these charges, NMa has now called a halt to its investigation. The Netherlands is one of the countries which have the highest terminating tariffs in Europe.

Terminating tariffs refer to the amount which a telephone company charges for terminating calls on its own network.

Charges for calls from landline to mobile phones will fall sharply on 1 January 2004. This drop is directly due to the reduction of mobile phone companies’ terminating tariffs. Their high terminating tariffs constituted grounds for OPTA and NMa to institute proceedings. NMa has now halted its current investigation into potentially excessive tariffs. OPTA will amend its policy on the resolution of disputes involving market parties. Callers from fixed to mobile phones will be better off by at least €200 million in 2004.