China to consider a lower ceiling on domestic roaming charges

The Chinese government will hold hearings late this month to consider lowering the ceiling on domestic roaming fees charged by mobile phone operators, China's top economic planner said.

The National Development and Reform Commission said it and the Ministry of Information Industry have appointed a research institute to draw up a plan.

It gave no other details.

China Mobile, the country's largest mobile telephone operator, in April lowered domestic roaming fees for its Beijing users, while slashing its international calling tariffs by 70 to 86 pct and starting a calling-party-pays system for users in Tibet.