The mobile phone rate war begins

Telefónica has responded to Vodafone's challenge to compete in its landline telephone market, with the launch of a flat rate that allows its 22,4 million mobile customers to call landlines for 15 euros per month, from anywhere, with a limit of one thousand minutes. Vodafone had presented on February 12 a voice telephone service with mobile technology that allowed users to use mobile phones as if they were landlines from home and call, for 15 euros per month, any phone fixed, with a monthly limit of one thousand minutes. Vodafone's offer will come into effect next week, but Movistar, Telefónica's mobile brand, has gone ahead and as of today offers the possibility of calling landlines from mobile phones but from anywhere, not just from home.