Global roaming plans go awry

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Stephen Conroy's hopes of delivering cheaper international roaming rates for Australian consumers appear destined to stumble on regulatory hurdles.
In its submission to a parliamentary inquiry the consumer watchdog has described high international mobile roaming charges for Australians as an "intractable problem".

The submission was one of 15 that mobile carriers and consumer protection groups lodged with the House of Representatives standing committee on communications to assist its international mobile roaming charges inquiry.

In June, Senator Conroy ordered the committee to investigate whether retail tariffs for international roaming charges continued to reflect costs born by carriers.