Mobile Phones: EU -Wide Free Roaming Charges A Boost For European Tourism And Users

EU-Wide no more roaming charges

Whether you voted remain or leave, the European commission has come to your aid. Holidaymakers are about to get free mobile phone roaming across Europe and a host of other destinations from 15 June – for the next two years, at least.

Following a long campaign and a series of staged roaming price cuts, the EU Commission has finally put in place a long-cherished aim – the ability of Europeans to make same-cost mobile calls and data downloads irrespective of which EU country they are in.

But fears remain that once Brexit takes place the gains could be reversed for Britain. And holidaymakers will still need to be careful about getting caught out in some non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Andorra and even the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are not formally part of the EU or even the European Economic Area (EEA).

Some mobile operators are choosing to include these areas in their new roaming-free packages, but others are not. What’s more, Turkey appears to be half in, half out – Vodafone is treating it the same as the EU but others are not.

Already initial reports show that free roaming in the EU since June 15 has been a huge success for consumers and tourism.

EU-Digest

EU votes to end roaming charges

The EU has voted to agree on revised rules on the telecoms market which will end unpopular roaming surcharges for mobile phone calls and data use.

Spanish MEP Vera del Castillo, of the European People's Party and rapporteur of the telecoms report, said today's vote brings about an end to roaming charges.

"We have eliminated a type of tax on people who live in the EU and we have eliminated a barrier to small companies and institutions accessing the single market."

Read more: EU votes to end roaming charges - RTÉ News

Cellular Phone Services: Europe plans to end mobile phone roaming charges

The European Commission is proposing to scrap mobile phone roaming charges across Europe as part of a raft of measures to reform the telecoms market.

The Commission described the reforms as "the most ambitious plan in 26 years of telecoms market reform".
It said the measures will reduce consumer charges and simplify red tape for mobile companies.

The proposals must be approved by the 28 EU members and European lawmakers before they can be put into effect.

Analysts say Europe is falling behind in broadband infrastructure, while telecoms companies struggle with declining revenues.

Under the plans, companies would be banned from charging for incoming calls from July 2014. All other roaming charges would be scrapped by 2016.

Mobile providers will then either have to charge customers the same prices for phone calls across the EU, or allow them to switch providers for the period they are abroad, without changing their Sim card.

Read more: BBC News - Europe plans to end mobile phone roaming charges

EU Votes To Lower Mobile Roaming Charges - by Jennifer LeClaire

According to the new EU rules, which still need approval by the full European Parliament, a downloaded megabyte would cost no more than 70 cents. That cost drops down to 45 cents in 2013 and 20 cents by July 2014. This is a big improvement for roaming and data plans in the EU, as there is currently no price ceiling for mobile data services. 

Members of the European Parliament and the Danish Presidency of the Council of Ministers agreed to lower price caps on roaming. Parliament as a whole still needs to approve the deal. But if all runs smoothly the new rules will take effect July 1.

"I am satisfied that the Council approved Parliament's approach to tackle very high prices of phone calls, SMS and in particular of data roaming," said Angelika Niebler of Germany, Parliament's reporter for the draft legislation. "The proposed price caps ensure a sufficient margin between wholesale and retail prices to assure a level of competition that will enable new players to enter the market."

Note EU-Digest: this is another major proof that being part of the EU provides legislative protection to partner states from the often ruthless excessive profit seeking private sector and directly benefits its citizens.

For more: EU Votes To Lower Mobile Roaming Charges | Sci-Tech Today

Information Week: Europe Moving To Reduce Wireless Roaming Charges by David Gardner

For the complete report from the InformationWeek click on this link

Europe Moving To Reduce Wireless Roaming Charges by David Gardner

European Union lawmakers moved the put an end to mobile phone "bill shock" Wednesday by mandating price limits on text messages and voice calls that are scheduled to go into effect in time for the summer tourist season. The biggest cuts will be for text messages. Mobile handset users will pay a maximum price of 11 euro cents (14 U.S. cents) for a text message -- a reduction from the current ceiling of 36 U.S. cents. Carriers will still be permitted to charge what they want, provided the price is under the ceiling."Today's vote marks the definite end of the roaming rip-off in Europe," said EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding, who has championed the drive for more uniform lower wireless messaging rates in Europe. She had complained for months that Europe's mobile industry didn't understand that credible prices were necessary to avoid regulation.

At the same time, the EU Parliament lawmakers approved a data-downloading measure with a ceiling of 1 euro per megabyte versus the current charge of 1.68 euros. The older pricing schedules have resulted in some countries' carriers charging nearly twice as much as other countries. The texting measure also calls for customers to be billed by the second after the first 30 seconds versus the current practice of charging by the second after the first minute of use.

Note EU-Digest: These are the benefits of being part of the EU. Good job Viviane Reding !!