UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has proposed new rules that would ensure UK customers are told about any roaming charges when using their mobile phones abroad. Its consultation will close on 28th September 2023.

Mobile phone customers from the UK have been warned about the increasing cost of making calls in Europe.

The UK's post-Brexit trade deal with the EU opened the door for mobile operators to reintroduce 'roaming' charges when customers travel abroad.

A new report from communications research consultancy Juniper Research expects the number of worldwide roaming subscribers using 5G services to increase by 4,500% in five years: from 4.5 million this year to 210 million in 2026.

New EU roaming regulations are expected to cause a drop in mobile roaming revenue for operators in 2017, according to a forecast from Juniper Research.

Annual roaming revenue is predicted to fall by 28% in Europe and by 7% globally: a significant portion of an estimated $52 billion total in the year after next.

It’s reported that EE is refunding around £1 million to customers who were charged VAT in error. People who travelled outside Europe and used their phones to go online were apparently charged VAT, although this should only apply to usage inside the EU.

Only 0.5% of EE’s customers were affected by the problem, which happened because the company’s billing system hadn’t been set up correctly.

By incorporating advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, AI can help to optimize a smartphone's performance, providing users with a faster, more efficient and user-friendly experience.

Mark Bridge writes:

I've been taking a look back at the devices I've written about during the past few years. Some are still faithful companions, others... well, let's just say my faith was misplaced.

Mark Windle, head of marketing at OpenCloud, predicts that this year’s reduction in the number of traditional telecoms operators in some countries will provide an opportunity for other operators to innovate and capture market share in 2016.

He says next year will be a year of rapid change for telecoms… whether it’s MVNO disruption, competitive tariff pricing or simply defence from the ‘dark art’ of hacking.

Mark Bridge writes:

The most memorable moments in life often go unrecorded. You don't have your camera in your hands. Your finger is still hovering over the 'pause' button on your audio recorder. Or you were simply too busy experiencing whatever was happening. It's all about the one that got away.

That's where Kapture can help.

Mark Bridge writes:

James Rosewell shows me a colourful roll of paper that's the width of an iPhone but well over three metres long. When I look closer, I can see it's a printed copy of the Wall Street Journal's mobile website. That's a lot of scrolling to do... and a pretty unfriendly user experience for anyone reading the news online. Why does it work so badly?

The Mobile Academy offers a London-based masterclass designed to give you a helping hand with mobile innovation, whether you're an entrepreneur, a business owner, a developer or a designer.

We've been talking to Julia Shalet, Course Director of the Mobile Academy, to learn more about the next 10-week course.

The last of the 2012 quarterly results are coming in, so it's time to compare figures from the biggest mobile handset manufacturers.

We're also looking at Twitter's new video app, discussing the forthcoming Firefox OS and preparing for the BlackBerry 10 launch later today.

In this special feature we're talking to Shankar Meembat, co-founder and CEO of Exaget, about the company's new UTuneMe service.

It lets broadcasters add targeted audio advertisements to radio programmes that are streamed onto smartphones.

It's another packed podcast this week, starting with mobile payments and ending with DIY mobile accessories.

We also cover manufacturing news, mobile VoIP calling, a new virtual network heading for the UK high street, shop closures, smart accessories and phablets.

We start this week with a look at troubled UK retailer HMV before moving on to research that sheds new light on mobile data usage.

You'll also find a new mapping app, increasing free WiFi coverage, a phone service designed for children and preliminary quarterly results from Samsung and Nokia.