European mobile phone users could have to pay US-style charges for receiving calls after Viviane Reding, the EU telecoms commissioner, said she was prepared to accept the industry changing its longstanding business model.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Ms Reding also signalled she was poised to propose rules to reduce the cost for Europeans when sending text messages while abroad. She is considering taking similar steps to cut the cost of internet surfing on mobiles while overseas.