The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released a set of draft rules directing the country's various telcos to inform consumers of exact mobile costs and charges while roaming overseas.

Additionally, the Australian regulator likewise wants mobile carriers and operators in Down Under to provide mobile users specific information about the costs of calls and data in the country that the consumer is currently in. Telcos will likewise be required to advise customers on mobile roaming reduction tips as well as be provided with tools that will enable them to keep tabs of their mobile roaming usages.

ACMA said the proposed rules, which came out on Thursday, were meant to standardize the industry's current decrees on mobile roaming rules and costs, after receiving numerous complaints from disgruntled mobile users of excessive bill charges.

Complaints ranged from being charged for a whopping $148,000 after a 9-week European holiday. Others were slapped with $38,000 and $18,000 bills.

"We want the carriers to significantly lift their game on the whole transparency piece to give the consumers clear messages at the right time and the right warnings about costs, and then also to give them the tools they need to actually manage those costs," Chris Cheah, ACMA member, said.

"We don't think it's that hard and they should be able to do it."

Data collected by ACMA showed disputed roaming charges complaints jumped to more than 4,100, 70 per cent up in 2011-12.

The office of the Telecommunications Industry Obmudman, in the last 15 months alone, has received mobile roaming complaints translating to about $8 million in disputed charges. Apparently, consumers were not aware of the risk of being billed for expensive international roaming services.

"People know the roaming charges are higher but they don't realise how much higher," Mr Cheah said.

Australian telcos are expected to comment on the proposal until May 2013.