Ofcom has published proposals to reduce mobile termination rates (MTRs). These are the wholesale charges paid by telecoms companies when their customers call mobile phones on other networks.

The existing MTR rules expire at the end of March next year, so Ofcom has proposed new rules that would run from 1st April 2011 until 31st March 2015.

Iain Graham writes:

This is a true story. It may not be a particularly relevant story - but it is a true story.

I think I have just realised that I have to be serious about my new career as a Grumpy Old Man (GOM) and come to terms with the fact that it is not new, just a natural progression from so many years as a Grumpy Young Man (GYM)!

Ofcom has published its annual plan for the 12 months starting tomorrow, 1st April 2010. Its aims for the mobile industry are largely unchanged from the draft version published in December 2009. These include:

-  making progress on mobile phone 'not-spots',
-  ensuring consumers can switch communication providers by removing unnecessary barriers,
-  starting to clear the 800MHz band for new services,
-  preparing to release spectrum for mobile broadband, and
-  ensuring wireless services for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be delivered.

In The Fonecast this week we're covering everything from smart meters to insecure proxy servers. There's also good news for mobile gamers, good news for old phones... and good news for anyone who's fed up with SMS spam.

This week's edition of The Fonecast packs in everything from mobile security to smart meters. There's also good news for mobile gamers, good news for old phones... and good news for anyone who's fed up with SMS spam.