ASEAN TO INTRODUCE CHEAPER ROAMING CHARGES DESPITE INDUSTRY`S UNHAPPINESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- The Association of South-East Asian
Nations (Asean) will introduce cheaper mobile roaming charges despite the
industry's unhappiness with the idea.

Information Communications and Culture Minister, Dr Rais Yatim, said
Singapore and Malaysia would take the lead and publish their rates
schedule in two months.

"Under the Asean ICT Masterplan 2010-2015, a study will be conducted to
lower intra-Asean roaming rates and analyse how the charges are derived to
promote the use of mobile broadband across the region," he told reporters after
the launch of the masterplan here Friday.

He said the next Asean Telecommunications and IT Ministers' (TELMIN) meeting
would re-look at the roaming mechanism.

The TELMIN meeting in Kuala Lumpur was concluded Friday.

Rais said the commercial part of the masterplan would be worth billions of
US dollars and e-commerce would be encouraged.

He said in the implementation of the vision of the masterplan, strong
intra-Asean effort was needed.

-- BERNAMA