The UK regulator, Ofcom, has very recently released the 2011 version of its International Communications Market Report, which compares the availability, take-up and use of services in the UK and a number of comparator countries.

The report covers a number of areas, including:

• an analysis of the UK market in context
• comparative international pricing, comparing the typical prices people for a range of different 'baskets' of communications services
• a review of both the television and audio visual market and the radio and audio market
• an assessment of internet use, in terms of platforms and devices, as well as content and consumption
• comparative international data on the communications sector, comparing the UK to a range of comparator countries in order to assess how the UK is performing in an international context.

The comparative international pricing element of the report, which is based on data supplied by the Teligen division of Strategy Analytics, compares five 'baskets' of services - fixed voice, mobile voice, fixed broadband, mobile broadband and pay TV - representative of the communications use of five typical households. The analysis shows that the UK is generally very price competitive, offering the lowest price for all five baskets when a weighted average of single service pricing was taken into account and for three of the five baskets when looking at 'best-offer' pricing. Much of this difference is as a result of mobile prices in the UK being lower than in other countries, however, other services are generally also reasonably competitive. For example, the UK offers the lowest prices for standalone fixed voice services, in terms of the weighted average price. Similarly it is the cheapest for standalone broadband, along with France. And mobile broadband prices in the UK were the second lowest after Italy.

The analysis also reveals that Consumers in all countries can make savings by purchasing multi-service 'bundles', and the greatest savings, compared to purchasing standalone services, are available in France, where a 'quad-play' bundle including voice, broadband, TV and phone offered the lowest prices for a basket of services typical of a family of four with multiple communications needs. The UK offers the second lowest price for this basket.

The full study results, along with detailed information on the methodology used, are available for download on Ofcom's website.

On 15 December, Spanish operator Yoigo started offering three contract price plans with inclusive calls and, on the higher value plans, mobile data usage. The new tariffs are added to Yoigo's existing range of post-paid plans, where the price of minutes, SMS and data is based on minimum monthly usage.

La Plana de 20, the lowest value plan, gives 300 minutes per month to any operator.

La Plana de 30 offers 360 minutes and 360MB per month. These allowances are increased to 1200 minutes and 1.2GB for the highest value tariff, which is charged at EUR 55 per month.

Yoigo has also made changes to its pre-paid offering.  

Post-paid plan La del Seis has been introduced in a pre-paid version. Users topping up by EUR 20 or more each month will receive a call rate of EUR 0.06 per minute, whereas lower recharges attract a rate of EUR 0.12 per minute.

Finally, Yoigo La del Cero has been withdrawn.

Full details of the plans above are available in Mobile Voice Online Price Database. Teligen monitors price developments of this sort in its continuous updates of the Mobile Voice Online Price Database http://sa-link.cc/72

On 8 December, T-Mobile added three tariffs to its existing range.

Special 100 Complete Mobil is available as SIM-only for EUR 29.95 per month.  Users requiring a handset will pay a monthly charge from EUR 44.95 depending on the device chosen. This tariff offers 100 minutes to any German network, free text messages to any operator, unlimited use of WiFi plus 200MB per month, after which speed reduction applies. This price plan is available until 30 June 2012.

Special Call 100 is an entry tariff on a SIM-only basis.  It charges EUR 9.95 per month and includes 100 minutes to any network.

Finally, Special Call & Surf Mobil gives unlimited text messages to any network plus free calls to T-Mobile  for EUR 29.95 per month. 300MB of data usage at full speed is also included.

All three price plans are available on a 24-month term.

Full details of the plans above are available in Mobile Voice Online Price Database. Teligen monitors price developments of this sort in its continuous updates of the Mobile Voice Online Price Database http://sa-link.cc/72

Customers of Tele2 in the Netherlands can now choose from four Prepaid plans.

Prepaid+ Basis charges EUR 0.35 for calls and EUR 0.15 for SMS.

For an activation charge of EUR 0.50, users can select one of three plans:

• Prepaid+ Bel & SMS - giving lower rates for calls and text messages to any network
• Prepaid+ Mobile Internet - where one MMS costs EUR 0.10 and data is charged at the lower rate of EUR 0.10 per MB
• Prepaid+ Onderling - calls and text messages to Tele2 are free of charge

Full details of the plans above are available in Mobile Voice Online Price Database. Teligen monitors price developments of this sort in its continuous updates of the Mobile Voice Online Price Database http://sa-link.cc/72