Gillard, Key to talk global roaming costs

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key will discuss the issue of high global roaming rates for mobile phone calls between the two countries when the two meet this week.

The two PMs are scheduled to talk when Gillard travels to New Zealand for the first time as Prime Minister in a two-day trip later this week.

The Australian and New Zealand governments have been investigating the high prices since 2009, and last year jointly published a report stating that there had been market failure in this area. A KPMG report estimated that some costs were 300 times higher than local mobile phone call costs.

The New Zealand Government last week confirmed that the topic would be discussed when the two PMs meet later this week.

"It is on the agenda for discussion at next week's meeting between Prime Ministers Key and Gillard and we are hopeful that a bit of prime ministerial impetus might help move the issue along a bit," the office of New Zealand Communications Minister Steven Joyce told the Dominion Post.

The office of Prime Minister Julia Gillard had not responded to requests for comment at the time of writing; however, the office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy acknowledged the ongoing issue of high global roaming costs.

"The government recognises that consumers are concerned about the prices they are charged for mobile roaming across the Tasman. The Australian and New Zealand governments have been working with telecommunications providers in each country to identify if there is a problem, and if so, what can be done about it," Conroy's office said in a statement provided to ZDNet Australia.

"The Australian Government will continue to work closely with the New Zealand Government to consider what our two countries can do to improve international mobile roaming rates."