Mobile roaming charges should more closely match domestic rates - Herrera

Mobile roaming charges should be replaced with a small surcharge on top of the domestic rate, according to Parliamentary secretary Jose Herrera.

Herrera was responding to a call for discussion on proposals made to the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Gunther Oettinger.

Oettinger invited Herrera to discuss the Maltese government’s position on telecommunications issues.

Herrera called for cheaper, sustainable rates that would allow greater access to telecommunications by the consumer but would also let businesses remain competitive.

His suggestion was the retention of the domestic tariff while overseas as well as a small surcharge to cover additional costs to the service provider.

On net neutrality, Herrera said that access to the Internet should remain free of any obstacles created by interest in commercial gain, so as to not to prejudice competitiveness and innovation, and that legislation should support this freedom.