Politics

Brexit could cause mobile phone charges to 'sky-rocket' warns MLA

Mobile phone roaming charges could increase dramatically if Britain leaves the EU, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone has warned 
Mobile phone roaming charges could increase dramatically if Britain leaves the EU, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone has warned  Mobile phone roaming charges could increase dramatically if Britain leaves the EU, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone has warned 

MOBILE phone costs could “skyrocket” if the UK leaves the European Union, it has been claimed.

SDLP economic spokesman Patsy McGlone warned that a Brexit would have serious financial implications for holidaymakers and people living close to the border.

Pressure from the EU has meant the cost of using mobile phones has dropped in recent years, with roaming charges due to be abolished entirely in June 2017.

Mr McGlone claimed roaming charges will increase if there is a UK withdrawal from Europe – with a oneminute call rising from four pence to as much as £1.23, and a text message jumping from two pence to 42 pence.

He also suggested data prices could increase from four pence per MB to a staggering £5.67.

“Stories of outrageous holiday phone bills reaching tens of thousands of pounds have often made the headlines but people living in border counties and who often find their phone has switched to a southern network have genuine cause to be alarmed at the prospect of leaving the European Union,” he said.

“Already, a gross disparity exists between using phones in EU and in nonEU countries.

“Without EU regulation we could easily have a phone call from Dublin costing the same as one from Beijing, around 30 times more than at present.

“The difference in price of mobile data is even more unsettling. Surfing the internet on your phone in New York costs over 100 times more than doing the same in Paris.

“There is a real danger that our phone bills will sky-rocket.”