Roaming charges in the EU will disappear from 15 June 2017. Earlier, since the end of April next year, you can, however, expect reductions in rates for calls made abroad. On Tuesday, Parliament supported negotiated with the EU rules in this case.
Roaming is abolished gradually. Next year in April will be another final reduction to the June 2017 year when roaming within the European Union disappeared completely. Members eventually decided on this Tuesday’s vote.
The success of the European Parliament
– It’s amazing what we have achieved. Together with the Member States, the European Parliament led to the fact that since July 2017. Will be abolished roaming charges. This is a huge benefit for users – said in the debate preceding the vote, MEP of the European People’s Party Kriszjanis Karinsz.
As pointed out, it is not so that citizens gain and lose service because changes also provide operators with the conditions of safe investment. In addition to the abolition of roaming charges reform provides for the introduction of net neutrality, which prevents discrimination by companies providing access to a network of individual providers of online services.
– This is another step towards the integration of telecommunication markets towards a digital single market – assessed Patrizia Toia of the Socialist Group. She urged the European Commission to this immediately after the adoption of the new regulations started work on the review of the wholesale market because it is necessary that customers really enjoy the abolition of roaming.
The fact that changes have occurred on this market in recent years, reminded Vicky Ford of the European Conservatives and Reformists. – Citizens of European countries experienced a shock, give a phone bill after returning from abroad – said MEP and indicated that after the entry into force of amendments when abroad, you can use your phone at home.
Operators they have nothing to fear
According to MEP Jerzy Buzek, who led the negotiations on behalf of Parliament with the Member States, the changes are beneficial for both parties, despite earlier concerns of operators. – People less pay so much talk and operators then earn more – said Jerzy Buzek.
A similar view is shared by Mrs Rose Thun, which recalls that the abolition of roaming is part of the internal telecommunications market in the Union.
An important issue will also harmonize the rules on the use of mobile internet. The adopted rules require companies offering internet access, equal treatment of all data, without undue slowing down, blocking or otherwise discriminate.
Charges will fall gradually
Subsidies roaming connections for users abroad will fall gradually. From 30 April 2016. Will have a minimum of 5 cents per minute phone call, 2 cents for sending text messages and 5 cents per megabyte of data transmitted. These rates operator will add to your national rate.
However, the maximum total price for using your mobile abroad after 30 April will not change – now is 19 cents per minute of talk time, 6 cents per SMS and 20 cents per transfer the data.
The new regulations stipulate, however, that from 15 June 2017. while on holiday abroad, do not pay more for phone calls than in the country. – Operators will not be able to impose on customers additional fees for using the phone or for the transmission of data in the EU. In the end, we managed to break the resistance of the Council (Member States) in this case – stressed Rose Thun (PO).
Forbidden will be excessive use
Operators will they could not benefit from the safeguards to protect them against the abuse of phone use outside of the home country network. If the user is excessively phone calls or transmit data from abroad, and not the occasion for example. Holiday trips, the operators will be able to restrict and charge user additional costs (clause of fair use.)
This can happen when you buy a SIM card in another EU country where rates of mobile operators are lower than in its country of residence. Therefore, if a user exceeds a specified limit calls from abroad, this operator will be able to walk one on his small additional fee. The European Commission has set the limits permitted use until 15 December 2016.
to 15 June 2017. After crossing the border we will continue to receive SMS roaming charges, but later notice such will be sent only if the clause on fair use.
Parliament supported a rules concerning net neutrality
The idea is that companies, offering access to its own network, do not discriminate in any way by other users companies.
The limited capacity of the transmission grid makes the need for traffic management. The operator can deliberately delay the transmission of data, or not submitted at all, eg. In relation to services in competition with its own offer. Thus, the provider of Internet access can block and disrupt service to extort eg. An additional charge on companies that offer the ability to watch movies and listen to music online.
The new regulations stipulate that block or slow the transmission will be possible only in exceptional circumstances, such as. risk of cyber attack or overburden the network.
Lower rates are valid from July 1
Already in July this year has new tables roaming charges for mobile phone calls in the European Union. Per minute for calls from abroad Poles pay no more than 95 cents.
Three years ago the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union issued a regulation that limited the level of fees for international calls in the community. As a result, prices of talks on the continent radically declined. The July reduction was already low and resulted from changes in the exchange rate of the zloty to the euro. As a result, the Poles are paying for the call by 1-2 pennies less.
Przemyslaw Warzecki, a specialist in the Department of Strategy and Market Analysis of the Telecommunications Office of Electronic Communications on roaming:
Source: Newseria
The tariffs for roaming services regulated by the document of the European Parliament and the Council in the rank of the Regulation. According to its content update rates takes place on July 1 of the calendar year.
– The reduction in call prices stems directly from the provisions of the regulation – explains specialist in the Department of Strategy and Market Analysis of the Telecommunications Office of Electronic Communications. – It should also be noted that it includes four main telecommunication services: voice calls, both outgoing and incoming, send SMS, send MMS messages and data transmission.
IAR / Newseria, PAP, bless, fko