Making Holiday Texting Cheaper

12.00.00am GMT Tue 5th Feb 2008

George Lyon, prospective MEP is demanding that mobile companies cut the cost of texting for people when they are on holiday in the EU.

A text message sent whilst abroad in the EU can cost as much as 49p per message a massive increase on the typical cost of sending a message within the UK.

George Lyon commented; "Scots are being ripped off by phone companies who are charging them as much as 49p just to text home while they are holidaying abroad.

Last year, the European Union adopted regulations that forced mobile phone companies to lower the costs of making calls whilst outside the caller's home country. On average, those call prices have now been halved.

"I want to see similar action taken on the price of texting whilst abroad. A charge of 49p to send a text whilst outside the UK is extortionate and cannot reflect the cost on the network provider to send the message."

George Lyon is top of the list of the Scottish Liberal Democrat candidates for the European Parliament elections in 2009.