Small business owners could see cheaper mobile phone bills from 2011 after a ruling by telecoms regulator Ofcom.

The regulator has ruled that by next year customers should be able to change mobile providers in one working day rather than two.

Ofcom also announced that the cost mobile phone firms can charge for connecting a call from another network or landline will decline from 4.3 pence per minute to 0.5p by 2015.

It has been estimated that consumers calling mobiles could save a total of £800m over the four-year period the charges have been set for.

While the decision has been welcomed, there have been concerns expressed that consumers and businesses would not see the full benefit of lower rates until 2015.