Despite improvements in service and coverage, IMR charges have consistently remained high. At the 7th APEC Ministerial Meeting on Telecommunications and Information Industry, the economies in attendance noted that IMR charges are an important factor in facilitating cross border communication services and are thus relevant to the APEC Leaders’ regional economic integration agenda. At the 38th APEC TEL meeting, the attendees approved Australia’s proposal
to conduct a survey on issues related to international mobile roaming in the APEC region. Survey results were presented in an information sharing workshop held during the 39th APEC TEL meeting in 2009.