By Nic Fildes Last Updated: 3:28PM BST 15 May 2009  Vodafone's 'Passport' customers will be able to talk from over 35 countries for the same price they would pay at home Photo: AP  The issue of roaming costs has proved contentious for mobile operators over the past few years as European Union regulators have introduced legislation to drastically reduce the cost of using a mobile phone abroad.  With some customers unwittingly racking up bills worth hundreds of pounds when using their phone on holiday, the EU has forced mobile operators to slash the cost of speaking, texting and downloading via their networks over the past two years.  However, operators such as Vodafone have long argued that prices will come down due to competition, not regulation.  From July, roaming services across Europe will be capped at 10p a text while the cost of downloading a megabyte of information will cost no more than 92p if consumers pay standard rates.  However, from June 1 Vodafone's "Passport" customers will be able to talk, text and send pictures to friends from over 35 countries for the same price they would pay at home.  Passport customers normally pay a 75p fee to have their calls and texts made abroad included in their all-inclusive packages or take advantage of the domestic rates. However, that fee has been scrapped until the end of August.  Vodafone, which has 18m customers in Britain, may extend its offer or introduce similar initiatives if it proves to be successful. The offer will also increase pressure on other mobile operators to abolish roaming surcharges.  Separately, Vodafone said it had cut the cost of making international calls from a pay-as-you-go phone.
Vodafone has become the first mobile phone operator to abolish roaming    charges, meaning its customers will pay the same price abroad as they do at    home.