GCC roaming charges may reduce by up to 40% from April 1
Qatar is preparing to implement the first phase of the new regulation on reduced roaming charges within GCC region. The move is widely expected to benefit consumers in Qatar as well as the GCC region.
Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has co-ordinated with both service providers — Ooredoo and Vodafone — to launch the new rates from April 1.
Adel M Darwish, Chairman of the GCC Roaming Working Group, indicated that reduction rates in roaming charges are to reach 40% in the current phase.
Implementation of this consumer-centric initiative is a direct result of the decision by the GCC Ministerial Committee for Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology to reduce rates for roaming, telephone calls, text messaging and data services throughout the GCC countries.
Receiving SMS messages while in roaming will remain free.
The reductions in roaming charges on both the inter-operator wholesale level and end-user retail level will take place over a three-year period. However, consumers may have to wait for five years for lower mobile data services.
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Huzzah
And they know very well that the majority of subscribers does not telephone around within the GCC. Another nice gesture towards the expatriates.