[bbob]

Cell phone business is big and a cow they can milk.

don't know what roaming rates are between carriers but the different betewwn usa and europa is that us when calling a cellphone you pay the same as when calling a fixed phone. Looking at a us number you don't know if it's fixed or mobile. On the other side in the US you are paying to receive a call or if you have unlimited you pay through a higher montyl rate.

Now ask yourself the question why is it possible if a buy a dutch callcard having say 400 free minutes I can call for 6-7 cents perminute to other cell phones but when using a normal carrier I pay between 10-20 cents. 7 cents and 20 cents huge difference.

So even locally the phone companies are making some nice money on people calling cell phones.

Than when outside your country they charge even more or splitt the profit jointly btween themselfs and the carrier you are roaming on. Why do you think countries like spain did not like the new maximum eu roaming rates, it cost them lots of money.
My guess is that you will be azed when you hear how low the cost really are.

going forward one will have to see that cellphone use will change. More and more you see unlimited data where you can call voip. At present data roaming is still to expensive but in the near future that will also be cheaper. In the end prices will come down and it's just about paying a fixed price per month for unlimted use, just like you internet connection.