Vodafone - mobile data charges

Vodafone to cut data roaming prices in Europe

LONDON (Reuters) - Vodafone Group, the world's largest mobile phone company by revenue, is to cut data roaming charges in Europe before a deadline set by the European Union's top telecoms regulator.

The EU's telecoms commissioner, Viviane Reding, said last week Europe's mobile phone operators had until the summer to cut the cost of using handsets or laptops to download data while customers are travelling, or else they would face mandatory change.

Vodafone said on Friday it would reduce prices by up to 45 percent on its monthly data roaming tariff for European business travellers to make it cheaper to use laptop computers wirelessly when abroad.

"Our focus now is to offer consumers, who are increasingly using their mobile phones to access the Internet whilst in their hotel room, in a cafe or on the beach, with predictable data roaming tariffs," Chief Executive Arun Sarin said in a statement.

KPN Group, 3 Group and Play have already said this week they would cut the cost of using handsets or laptops to download data abroad. Spanish firm Telefonica has also cut its roaming data fees in the past month.