Mobile phone users in Beijing have given mixed responses to news that charges will be cut.

 

Regulators announced on Monday that they had given the green light to telecom operators who want to reduce the costs of calls.

 

The long-awaited changes are expected to take effect tomorrow.

 

The changes apply to a range of service package options.

 

But Ge Jun, a middle-aged engineer in Beijing, said she found the different price plans overwhelming. "Different promotions make me feel giddy," she said. "I hope a more detailed and practical method concerning the specific price of calls will be introduced, but not in the form of different packages."

 

Four varieties of packages have been designed to meet the diversified needs of subscribers to China Mobile's Shenzhouxing and GoTone services.

 

They include 80 yuan (US$10), 108 yuan (US$13.5), 168 yuan (US$21) and 220 yuan (US$27.5) per month deals, which enable users to enjoy 200, 360, 700 and 1,100 minutes of local calls respectively.

 

Current subscribers to the GoTone service in Beijing have to pay 50 yuan (US$6.25) per month in subscription fees and 0.4 yuan (5 US cents) per minute for both receiving and making local calls.

 

"The move is the first of its kind and the most attractive offer designed by our company," said Fan Yunjun, deputy manager of Beijing Mobile Communication Company, China Mobile's branch in Beijing.

 

Qiu Baochang, a lawyer working for the protection of consumer rights, said: "The new fee method is warmly welcomed, but it is late and could be better."

 

Beijing mobile phone users have been calling for reduced charges for some time.

 

The relevant departments decided to look into these requests after research revealed that Beijing lagged behind many cities in adopting reasonable price policies, Qiu said.

 

In Guangzhou, one service allows mobile users to receive calls for free.

 

Packages in Shanghai are available for 60 yuan (US$7.5) per month for 360 minutes of local calls, and 120 yuan (US$15) for 800 minutes.

 

"Consumers, mobile companies, pricing authorities and experts should all be consulted before new price structures are drawn up," Qiu said.

 

Wang Anxin, a Beijing lawyer, told China Daily that lowering mobile charges was a global trend and that Beijing had to follow it.

 

He added that high charges were a result of a monopoly situation, where only a few big telecommunications companies control the industry.

 

Wang said that he believed operators would still make huge profits, despite the price changes.

 

(China Daily May 10, 2006)