Advertisement

Roaming charges across Europe to finally be outlawed in June 2017

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Roaming charges across Europe to finally be outlawed in June 2017
Photo: Josep Lago / AFP

Roaming charges that mean mobile phone users are charged extra if they are in another EU country will finally be scrapped after years of wrangling came to an end. However not until June 2017.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, members of the European Parliament finally gave the green light to a ban on roaming charges.

Although we’ll have to wait a while before our phone bills come down as the ban is not set to come into force until June 15th 2017.

Roaming charges vary enormously between telecoms operators and many users have ended up paying exorbitant rates -- often without knowing in advance -- to make calls when travelling within the 28-nation European Union.

The extra costs have long been at the centre of a battle between EU officials backed by consumer groups, and mobile operators.

READ: 'We need to scrap mobile roaming fees'

There was anger earlier this year when the European Commission decided to drop plans to abolish roaming charges from 2016 after objections from Telecom companies in smaller member states.

On Tuesday Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip, responsible for the Digital Single Market, said: "The voice of Europeans has been heard. 

"Today's vote is the final result of intense efforts to put an end to roaming charges in the European Union and to safeguard the open internet.

"As from mid-June 2017, Europeans will pay the same price to use their mobile devices when travelling in the EU as they do at home. And they will already pay less as from April 2016."*

An interim cap on the extra costs will kick in from April 30th 2016, before the full ban takes effect the year after.

That cap will mean operators can only add a surcharge of no more than:

  • €0.05 extra per minute for calls
  • €0.02 extra per text message sent
  • €0.05 extra per megabyte of data used

But while the ban sounds in theory like great news for anyone with a mobile phone who likes to travel, critics have issued warnings.

They say suggest any dip in profits for the mobile phone companies will simply push up prices of mobile phone contracts in general, including for those who don't even travel. 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also