End roaming charges, declares Mobile World Congress exec

BARCELONA—The head of the organization that puts on Mobile World Congress is declaring a war on roaming charges.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the chairman of the GSMA and founder and chairman of India-based Bharti Enterprises told an MWC audience here that he is committed to end such onerous charges, something he has taken steps to do at Bharti Airtel, the groups’ flagship company.

In the past, Mittal says, people had to carry different phones if traveling say in the U.S. as opposed to Japan or elsewhere. “But today we have a global network; we have a network which works everywhere in the world.”

According to Mittal, about 55% of people in the developed world switch off their mobile data when they travel. And he estimates that about 90% of travelers from emerging markets switch off their data, and perhaps voice too, when they travel.“

They wait instead to get Wi-Fi at a hotel or some other hotspot.

“What have we done to our industry?” Mittal asks. “This must stop. I can promise within my term at GSMA roaming charges…will be a thing of the past.”

Mittal’s comments were met with enthusiastic applause.

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