The Czech telecoms regulator CTU may cap wholesale mobile data prices charged by three main operators to virtual providers, its chief told business daily Hospodarske Noviny.
The main providers concerned are O2 Czech Republic, T-Mobile and Vodafone.
“I believe we will propose a ceiling for wholesale prices at which the three current large operators sell to virtual operators,” the daily quoted CTU Chairwoman Hana Tovarkova as saying.
“The regulation may last for three to four years depending on the results of an analysis that we will complete in the second half of September.”
Where are people paying more for their data?
Researchers from Top Dollar decided to investigate. Using data collected from the World Bank and other credible sources, they created a series of infographics on global mobile data charges.
Israel has the cheapest data in the world, according to Top Dollar researchers. Based on a standard 10GB monthly plan, mobile users in Israel pay just $0.01 per 1Mbps download speed. The low prices are mainly due to a highly competitive mobile data market, which includes a large customer base for providers. Over 95 percent of Israelis have instant access to the internet.
China ranks second, with 10GB data per 1Mbps download speed costing $0.003. Again, China’s ability to keep the cost of data down stems from its vast digital infrastructure network.
Other countries where fast data costs less than $0.10 include Italy, Australia, France, Denmark, Moldova, and Kuwait.
Data is expensive in Namibia. Based on the Top Dollar metrics, Namibians pay a whopping $11.36 per 1Mbps download speed. That makes Namibia the most expensive place in the world for data. The high costs are a direct result of Namibia’s undeveloped infrastructure.
Czechs pay much more than the majority of EU countries, according to a 2018 EU Commission analysis. The average EU customer spends around $38 on 20 GB of data, while Czechs would have to pay almost $64 for the same amount.
A 2017 study by the organization telefonujici.cz found that mobile tariffs in the Czech Republic were on average 79% higher than the EU average.
