Vodafone, One2One and Orange have attacked mobile call price controls proposed

by Oftel.

In written responses, posted on Oftel's web site, the mobile operators state their unhappiness at plans to cut mobile call charges by 12 per cent less than the Retail Price Index (RPI).

The proposed pricing changes were announced by Oftel on September 26 and the deadline for consultation was yesterday. The watchdog will consider the responses before making its final decision.

If the mobile companies refuse to accept Oftel's decision they can take the case to the Competition Commission.

In its one-page response, Vodaphone is the most damning of the operators, formally objecting to the proposed licence modifications.

One 2 One said it believed the analysis leading Oftel to conclude a control on the termination charges of all the mobile operators was justified was "flawed, inconsistent and incomplete."

www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/responses/2001/ctm0901/index.htm