Reports this week state that T-Mobile is attempting to get an agreement between Europe’s largest mobile operators to lower the wholesale prices they charge one another for carrying Internet data, thus avoiding an enforced price cut from the European Union. A Daily Telegraph report states that T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, will announce lower roaming prices at next week’s GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The report adds that the company is also hoping to unveil a new wholesale regime, to be adopted by the networks it partners with around Europe.

Such a move by T-Mobile would be in response to recent comment from UK regulator Ofcom and EU Commisioner Viviane Reding that Europe’s mobile operators should reduce their roaming prices inside the European Union for mobile data services or face legislation forcing them to do so. Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin has hit out at a threatened move: “The data roaming market is very competitive,” he is reported as stating. “Six months ago we brought out a €12 (£9) all-you-can-eat-a-day roaming tariff; T-Mobile, Telefonica and others have other competitive products of their own… There will be no need for any regulation… I don’t see any need for interference here.”