Singapore and Malaysia have both made a commitment to explore ways to reduce the prevailing roaming rates for mobile phone users, according to a statement from Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister For Information, Communications and The Arts, Singapore and H.E. Dr Rais Yatim, Minister of Information, Communications and Culture, Malaysia.
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are currently seeking operators' feedback on a proposal that seeks to progressively reduce the mobile roaming rates charged to Singapore and Malaysia mobile phone users, by up to 30 percent for voice calls and up to 50 percent for SMSes when they use the mobile roaming service provided by all mobile operators in Malaysia and Singapore respectively.
This proposal would be implemented through reductions of both the wholesale inter-operator charges and the retail end user charges, and will be contingent on both countries following through the agreement. Further details will be available only after both agencies have completed discussions with their respective operators.
Both the IDA and MCMC expect to provide an update on this proposal in 3Q 2010.
The telecom regulators for both countries, IDA and MCMC have been studying the rates charged by mobile operators of both countries to better understand the prevailing industry practice and charging model. As mobile roaming charges involve different price components charged by operators from both countries, any study of and regulatory requirement to reduce roaming charges will require coordination and cooperation between both regulators to ensure that users from both countries benefit from the decision.
Article published on 18th June 2010
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