Why is it so much more expensive to call a cellphone in the UK than a landline?

[Phloyd]

Whether you use a calling card or a long distance provider, the rate for calling a cellphone number in the UK from the USA, is more than 10 times the rate to call a landline. For example, Yahoo Voice charges about 1.7c a minute for landline numbers in the UK, but 20.5c a minute for cellphone numbers! That's more than a factor of 10 between the two rates (literally an order of magnitude), and this is true for any provider or calling card!!

Why is it SO much more expensive to call a cellphone number in the UK, while here in the US, a number is just a number, and its the same rate no matter what kind of phone it is?

[HoofArted]

That my friend is the difference between here and there. We here in the USA where they made it illegal to (and I do not know the technical terms) charge more for a ceel phone or a landline call. The cost here is the same for both whereas everywhere else gets charged differently. Sounds good for us but then again, we here are the only ones (not sure about Canada) that gets charged for incomming calls on our cell phones. We have contracts to deal with when abroad is only prepaid.. free incomming calls. $10 card can go a looong waaaay.