The Gulf Cooperation Council has slashed roaming charges for mobile phone users travelling within the bloc by an average of 40 per cent, it was announced on Thursday. The move will be implemented from April 1.
The reduced roaming rates will be applicable for voice calls, outgoing SMS and mobile data services, official news agency WAM quoted the assistant secretary-general for Economic Affairs at the GCC Secretariat Abdullah bin Juma Al Shibli as saying. Incoming messages will remain free.
The move is expected to help regional mobile phone users save up to $1.13bn, he said. This in turn could boost social welfare by $404m.
“A GCC technical team will monitor these prices regularly and submit recommendations to the GCC Ministerial Committee Ministerial Committee for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology," said Al Shibli.
“A mechanism has been set up to gather data on a regular basis to update decision-makers on changes taking place in the roaming services market and ensure efficient control," he added.
Plans for the cut were first revealed in June last year, but no further details were disclosed at that point.
By Aarti Nagraj
