One of our recently published "top 5 predictions for 2009" for the mobile travel market received a welcome boost from the EU Telecoms Commissioner.
We're predicting that 2009 will be a "launch and learn" year as the more innovative travel brands look to enhance customer service and boost ancillary sales using the mobile-web.
One of the barriers to mobile-web adoption in travel has always been the high costs of data roaming charges. Historically, if you used your mobile phone to access the mobile web when you were overseas, you faced some very steep charges from your network operator.
However, from July 2009 things are set to get a whole lot better in Europe. EU telecoms ministers have backed plans by the EU Telecommunications Commissioner, Viviane Reding, to cap roaming charges for text messages and downloading data.
Research by TNS shows that 20% of people questioned were confused about data roaming charges, and consequently this stopped them using their phone overseas. For service providers and travel brands these new regulations should make it a lot easier to inform customers of the costs they'll incur accessing mobile-web based services from abroad - which should help to drive the uptake of mobile travel services.
