More than 90 percent of the country's mobile phone users choose a contract which gives them discounts on the local communication prices, industry insiders said.

The high cost of out-of-town calls in China has drawn wide-ranging complaints over a long period.

Keelin Chen, a reporter for a Shanghhai newspaper, often pays 500 to 600 yuan for his monthly mobile phone bill and the roaming fee accounts for 80 percent of that figure.

And some users are not yet happy with the forthcoming reduced roaming fees.

China is the only country in the world to charge user-roaming fees for different provinces.

"It is still too high for me as I can only claim up to 150 yuan for the mobile costs every month," Chen said.

Consumer rights groups said the cost should be cut even more and they want mobile carriers to show more transparency in their cost structure.

The cost of all fees, including roaming charges and long-distance calls, should be published in detail because consumers have the right to know, said Zhao Jiaoli, general secretary of the Shanghai Commission of Consumers' Rights and Interests Protection.

"It is a good beginning but that's all," Zhao said.

Meanwhile, Shanghai Mobile and Shanghai Unicom are advising users to take "travel contracts" next month.

(Shanghai Daily February 29, 2008)