EU to target rogue download firms

European ring-tone sales were valued at 691 million euros (£548m) in 2007

Hundreds of mobile phone download sites are expected to be investigated after an EU-wide sweep of services.

Some 80% of the 500 websites offering ringtones and phone wallpaper breached regulations, the European Commission is expected to reveal on Thursday.

Unclear pricing and misleading information about what was free led to "costly surprises" for consumers, commissioner Meglena Kuneva will say.

In 2007, European ringtone sales stood at 691 million euros (£548m).

Some 495 million mobile phones are owned by Europeans.

Probe

A sweep of 500 websites - many of which targeted young people - took place across 27 EU member states, Norway and Iceland to check for breaches of European regulations.

Far too many people are falling victim to costly surprises from mysterious charges, fees and ringtone subscriptions European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva

It followed complaints from consumers who had been hit with bills they did not expect after downloading pictures or tunes on their mobile.

Results of the investigation, to be released on Thursday, are expected to show that 466 cases will be followed up.

Some 268 of these had some irregularities in the price, including some that did not even show the price at all. Others did not make it clear that consumers were entering into a subscription.

Some 399 failed to give complete contract details of the trader, while 344 presented information in what the authorities regarded as a misleading way.

"Far too many people are falling victim to costly surprises from mysterious charges, fees and ringtone subscriptions they learn about for the first time when they see their mobile phone bill," the commissioner will say.

National authorities are now expected to contact each of the traders and have powers to fine them or close websites.

Meanwhile, mobile phone users, and parents, are being urged to check the small print of deals.

Ringtones made up an estimated 29% of the mobile content market in the EU in 2007, up 10% on the previous year.