MOBILE TERMINATION RATES (No. 2)

Early day motion 1531, tabled 19 May 2009 by Nigel Evans (Conservative). Signed by 262 members.

That this House welcomes the European Commission's recent recommendation providing clear principles to EU national telecoms regulators to set a fair cost for termination rates; further welcomes the Terminate the Rate campaign, which calls for a significant lowering of mobile termination rates (MTRs) in the future, and is supported by a number of companies and organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses and Carers UK; notes that MTRs increase the cost of calling a mobile telephone from a fixed-line or mobile telephone on another network, and hold back innovation in the telecommunications sector; further notes that significantly lowering MTRs would pave the way for an end to per-minute call charges and high bills and would enable communication providers to offer flat-rate unlimited tariffs giving consumers better value for money; and calls on Ofcom to take action to reduce excessive mobile termination charges and deliver a better deal for hard-pressed UK consumers.

Signatures by party: Labour 147, Liberal Democrat 60, Conservative 33, Scottish National Party 6, DUP 5, Independent 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Independent Labour 1, Respect 1, UUP 1.