Tomorrow, July 1, 2022, the new improved roaming regulation will enter into force. Extends domestic charge roaming until 2032 and enables travelers in the EU and EEA to make calls, send messages and browse the internet at no extra charge. The new rules will also bring significant benefits to businesses and EU citizens, who will enjoy a better roaming experience, with the same quality of mobile services abroad as in their own country. The new rules also improve access to emergency communications across the EU and provide clear information on services that may be subject to additional charges.
"With the Roaming Regulation, we all benefit from in-house roaming at a cost," said Margaret Westeyer, Executive Vice President for a Europe Ready for the Digital Age. We can make calls, send messages and use the internet at no extra cost while traveling in the EU. This is a very tangible benefit of our European single market. "Extending these rules will keep prices competitive among mobile operators and enable consumers to continue to enjoy free roaming services for the next ten years."
Mr Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said: "Remember when we had to turn off mobile data when traveling in Europe to avoid paying exorbitant roaming charges? This is now a thing of the past. And we intend to keep the situation as it is for the next 10 years at least. "More speed, more transparency: we continue to improve the lives of EU citizens."
Faster mobile internet connection on the go
Consumers will now be entitled to the same quality of mobile internet connection abroad as in their own country. Mobile service providers should ensure that consumers have access to the use of 4G networks, or the more advanced 5G networks, if they are available at their destination. Consumers should be able to find information about network availability in their mobile service contracts and on the websites of mobile service providers.
Prevention of unexpected hidden charges
When consumers travel by plane or ship, mobile phones can be automatically connected to the ship's satellite network. Using mobile services provided by non-terrestrial networks can be subject to very high additional charges. The new roaming rules oblige providers to protect their consumers and inform them about the transition of their phones to non-terrestrial networks. In addition, providers should automatically discontinue mobile services if the amount charged for these services reaches € 50 or another pre-determined limit. Providers will also be able to offer additional services, such as the possibility of exemption from roaming on planes and ships.
More information on better options
Consumers should be able to make informed decisions about the use of services that may incur additional costs. When traveling abroad, calling customer service, insurance and airline support, or sending SMS to contests or events can be more expensive than in your home country. Providers must ensure that they provide consumers with information about the types of telephone numbers that may incur additional costs when consumers call or access them from abroad. Providers should inform consumers by automatic SMS messages sent when crossing the border to another EU country, as well as in service contracts.
112 - Emergency communication during travel
The new roaming rules ensure that citizens know 112, the EU's emergency number, which they can use anywhere in the EU for emergency services. By June 2023, providers should automatically send messages to their customers traveling abroad to inform them of available alternative means of accessing emergency services, such as text or real-time applications. Citizens who are unable to make voice calls can use these alternative media.
Lower prices between providers, better conditions for consumers
The new roaming regulation sets lower wholesale fees, ie the prices paid by providers for the use of networks abroad in order to provide services to their customers when they are abroad. Wholesale ceilings are set at levels that ensure that providers can afford and recover the cost of providing roaming services to consumers at domestic prices:
For data services, the new regulation sets the following wholesale ceilings: EUR 2 / GB in 2022, EUR 1,8 / GB in 2023, EUR 1,55 / GB in 2024, EUR 1,3 / GB in 2025, 1,1 , 2026 euro / GB in 1 and 2027 euro / GB from XNUMX onwards.
For voice calls: 0,022 euros / minute during the period 2022-2024 and 0,019 euros / minute from 2025 onwards.
For SMS: 0,004 euros / SMS during the period 2022-2024 and 0,003 euros / SMS from 2025 onwards.
Lower wholesale charges are to the benefit of consumers, as they are expected to ensure that all providers will be able to offer competitive roaming subscriptions under the "domestic charge" principle.
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