Why is the EU deciding to drop roaming charges?
Mobile phone charges will fall for millions of holidaymakers across Europe from today, after new regulations come into force to drive down the cost of roaming. A mandatory single tariff, which covers all European Union countries, will make it significantly cheaper for those who use their phones while outside of their home territory. The changes – which were originally approved in 2007 – are an attempt by officials to end what they have called excessive charges. “The roaming rip-off is now coming to an end,” said EU telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding in a statement. “Expect the new roaming rules to make it much cheaper to surf the web on your mobile while abroad in the EU.” After years of experiencing high prices for making phone calls abroad – or receiving them – the new tariffs are radically lower: sending a text message, for example, will drop from an average of 28 Euro cents to just 11 cents. The move should end the well-worn fear of opening a huge phone bill when return
Beginning Wednesday, European mobile phone users can cross national borders in Europe and know they won’t be slammed with a huge cell phone bill when they return home. Roaming charges for cell phone and texting messages are dropping. A new single tariff, in the works since 2007, covers all European Union countries and the charges for many consumers for some messages will plunge. Roamed text charges will drop from 28 European cents to 11 cents and roamed mobile calls will also drop, but not as much as text messages. Calls will drop from 46 cents to 43 cents. Sending a megabyte of data will cost 85 cents — about one-half the previous data price. “The roaming rip-off is now coming to an end,” said EU telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding, who lobbied hard for the lower prices. “Expect the new roaming rules to make it much cheaper to surf the web on your mobile while abroad in the EU.” The EU pushed for the lowered charges to be effective before the summer holiday season when man
