The new EU roaming rules: an overview (Updated with actual law)

 Last week, the European Parliament voted for new price reductions for roaming in the European Union. This was a big success for our campaign and will make using your mobile phone abroad a lot more affordable over the next two years.

If you are wondering what exactly the new rules mean for you, here is an overview over the most important changes (please note that prices don’t include VAT yet):

  • Starting in July 2012, making calls will cost no more than 0,29 €/min. Until 2014, this will go down to 0,19 €/min.
  • Receiving calls and sending SMS will cost 0,09 €/min from July 2012 and 0,06 €/min from July 2014.
  • Internet usage will become cheaper for the first time in July 2012 and cost 0,70 €/MB. Until 2014, prices will go down to no more than 0,20 €/MB.
  • From 2014 on, you will be enabled to choose another, cheaper operator when abroad – without having to change your phone number!
  • When outside of the EU, you will be warned if your bill approaches 50€ of data usage.
  • Operators will not be allowed to block traffic and apps like Skype or Messengers.

A word of caution

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[Press Release] Citizens’ campaign successful: EU Mobile roaming charges fall on July 1

iStock_000002479978XSmall- Prices for mobile phone use lowered again, thanks to successful citizens’ campaign -

Checking your e-mails, surfing the web and making calls while on holiday will once again become cheaper this summer. On July 1, the EU will once again act against high roaming charges and will set new cap prices for calls, SMS and internet use on the mobile. This is a success for the 150000-strong campaign “Europeans for Fair Roaming” that brought down prices much more than originally planned.

According to the EU law, prices for using mobiles phones abroad will be lowered to 24ct/min for calls and 45ct/MB for internet access in July 2013 and will keep going down to 19ct/min for calls and 20ct/MB for internet access by 2014. In addition, users will be allowed to choose a different operator for roaming from next year on, which is expected to bring about more competition. Most operators are already starting to offer roaming packages for travellers in reaction to the new law.

A success for citizens

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[Press Release] EU telecom market / Roaming: Reforms must benefit consumers!

Kroes-in-EP-photobyEP- EU prepares plans for a common European telecom market by 2015 -
In a speech on Thursday, EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes called for a thorough reform of telecom regulations and the creation of a pan-European telecom market. The new reform proposals are expected to be agreed in April 2014 and should make it easier for operators to create European cross-border networks.

The EU already reduced the prices for using mobile phones and tablets abroad over the last years, thanks to the pressure of “Europeans for Fair Roaming”, parliamentarians and other groups. Commissioner Kroes now wants to strike one last time before the upcoming European elections next year and completely re-organise the European telecom market. But the reforms must truly benefit the consumers, warns the consumers’ group “Europeans for Fair Roaming”. Continue reading

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How citizens changed EU law…

Get the amazing Info Graphic about the FairRoaming campaign here!

Europeans for Fair Roaming has been instrumental in once again bringing down roaming charges in Europe, as the campaign evaluation done by us over summer has shown.

Over the time of the last two years, the Europeans for Fair Roaming campaign managed to build a network of many thousand citizens, 20 associations and 14 Members of the European Parliament. We took part in all steps of the legislative process for the new EU roaming regulation which came into force in July 2012 and managed to successfully campaign for some important changes to the EU rules on roaming. The campaign was mentioned in TV news on ZDF and Euronews, the New York Times, Die Welt, Newsweek, Daily Telegraph, Salzburger Nachrichten, TheParliament.com, EurActiv, ZDNet and more than 70 other sources. The positive and important impact of our work was noted by several key decisions makers. Continue reading

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