The Cellphone Wins!

Now we will NEVER escape!!!

Cost of using a mobile in Europe cut by up to 60%

Last updated at 7:28 PM on 30th June 2009

Millions of holidaymakers have been promised the cost of using a mobile phone in Europe will be cut by up to 60 per cent from today.

A cap on the cost of sending texts, plus controls on call costs, surfing the web and downloading material including videos comes into effect following a European Commission ruling.

Sending a text message home from another EU state will drop from an average of around 25p to a maximum 0.11 euro (10p), plus VAT.

To make a call from another EU country will cost no more than 0.43 euro (37p) per minute plus VAT. It is due to fall further to around 30p by 2011.

And it will cost no more than 0.19 euro (17p) per minute plus VAT to receive a call.

Mobile phone operators will also be required to bill these so-called roaming calls by the second not the minute, which should also cut the size of bills.

More...

• At last! Age of the universal phone charger dawns

A cap of 1 euro per megabyte will also be placed on the wholesale cost of data roaming charges - the figure mobile networks charge each other for customers to surf the web or make downloads.

It is expected this cut will be passed on to the public. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding praised the ruling and said: 'The roaming rip-off is coming to an end.'

This is an old story but I love it...

This is an old story I came across a couple of years ago. I have no idea how it turned out though I would guess that it's still in the courts. Anyway, this is the sort of strange yet normal way things work in Greece...

Greek parrot in parking fine row

By Malcolm Brabant BBC News, Patras

Coco on his perch

A legal battle is under way in the western Greek city of Patras over a parrot that is facing a $650 (£320; 444 euros) parking ticket.

The local council says his perch is illegally parked and is obstructing drivers because it partially blocks a metered parking space.

Coco the parrot's owner, Lambros Michalopoulos, says the bird will die if it has to move back inside.

Neither side is backing down so now the dispute is going to the courts.

'Sociable creature'

With his multi-coloured Amazonian plumage and extrovert personality, Coco has, for 18 years, been something of a mascot in this busy port city, with narrow streets and precious few parking places.

Coco could be heading for court

His small perch occupies part of a metered zone and under the zero tolerance rules, the local police have ordered Mr Michalopoulos to pay a heavy fine.

The pet shop owner says he has ignored the authorities because if Coco goes back inside the store permanently the macaw will die because he is a sociable creature who enjoys being with people.

Patras's Deputy Mayor Spiros Demartinos is embarrassed that Coco's plight is attracting international attention.

He would prefer to talk about the city's ambitious plans to use parking revenue for funding bicycle lanes and pedestrian zones.

"Is it bureaucratic to be concerned about the parrot's safety?" he asks.

"The parrot's security is of paramount concern to the council."

Both sides are refusing to back down and so the dispute is heading to the palace of justice.

Coco's owner is hoping that the case will be laughed out of court.

Sunday, 9 December 2007, 15:48 GMT