Phone operators lack will to cut roaming fees

A Chinese worker installs a signboard of China Mobile one day before the opening of the 2nd China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair (CSITF) in Shanghai, April 23, 2014. [Photo/IC]

Telecommunication companies are being encouraged to abolish the roaming fees for long-distance mobile phonecalls and the internet "step by step", the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Saturday. Changjiang Daily commented on Monday:

It is indeed praiseworthy that the ministry has reiterated its resolve to cut the outdated roaming fees, which should have been canceled years ago.

Such fees are no longer necessary and in some cases, might even impede telecom innovations.

Calling for an end to the roaming fees is conducive to both deepening the economic integration between different provinces and facilitating the free exchange of people across the country.

The competition between the three Chinese telecom service providers, namely the China Mobile Communications Corp, China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd, and China Telecommunications Corp, is not sufficient and sometimes dubious, especially when it comes to reducing fees.

They should put more sincere efforts into ending their outdated fees and serving their customers rather than paying lip service to the latter's concerns.

In other words, the less difficult and controversial issues such as canceling roaming fees, need to be dealt with now. As for those that require more effort, the telecom authorities should at least have the decency to inform the public of when and how they plan to proceed.