LETTER:True cost of mobile phones

From Mr Colin Newman

Sir: Thank you for your report on the inquiry into the cost of mobile phones. One cost that is usually overlooked is that of making calls to such phones. From a fixed BT line, off peak, a call costs over six times as much to a personal communications network (1-2-1 or Orange) phone as to a local call to another fixed line. Calls to other mobile phones are even more expensive. To anyone considering the obvious move of replacing his/her fixed line with a mobile this is a considerable disincentive.

Yours faithfully,

COLIN NEWMAN

Barking, Essex

20 March