The cost of calling mobile phones is to be slashed by up to 45 per cent under new regulations.
Telecoms regulator Ofcom will limit 'unduly high prices' in a move which will save consumers up to £500million a year for four years.
Ofcom will limit 'wholesale charges', which is the amount mobile network operators charge other telephone companies and landline operators for connecting calls on their mobile networks.
This has been described as the industry's 'biggest unseen charge' and is estimated to earn mobile phone firms around £2.5 billion a year.
Customers calling the 3 network will get the best benefit with a reduction of around 45 per cent in the cost of a call.
Those calling Orange and T-Mobile users will get reductions of around 20 per cent.
And those getting in touch with people on O2 and Vodafone will see bills slashed 10 per cent.
The new rules come into effect on April 1 and run until 2011.
Ofcom said it 'remains necessary to protect consumers from unduly high prices'.
A spokesman added: 'We think this is very good news for the consumer, particularly those calling a mobile phone from a landline, who can expect to see significant savings from this weekend.'
Metro
