Now mobile phone users could be charged to RECEIVE calls in the UK

Consumers could be charged to receive mobile phone calls when using handsets in the UK, according to industry insiders.

A system could be imposed on domestic calls similar to that for customers who take their handsets overseas and have to pay up to 19p a minute to receive a call.

The notion of being charged to take calls will shock many UK consumers. It is, however, the norm in the U.S. and some Asian countries, including China and Singapore, and could result in overall bills falling.

The levy could be imposed as a backlash by mobile phone providers to proposals from EU Telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding.

She wants to limit the fee imposed by every operator in Europe on calls people receive from rival networks, known as the mobile termination rate.

Controversy: Viviane Reding has suggested consumers pay even more costs for their expensive mobile phone

Miss Reding believes capping the MTR would remove cost and red tape from running services.

Her spokesman Martin Selmayr said the Commission will present a recommendation this month to force a cut in the rates the networks charge each other.

Officials hope this could encourage a move towards a U.S. model, where overall charges are lower as companies do not have to pay to connect to other networks. Although mobile phone users pay for incoming calls, fees for dialling out have fallen to compensate for this.

Miss Reding has led a campaign to reduce mobile phone charges, including last year capping the cost of using a phone overseas.