The mobile roaming prices will be reduced from 1 July 2012
The European Parliament adopted a regulation which will sharply fall the cost of using mobile phones, smartphones and tablets when travelling abroad within the EU. In addition, the regulation will enable clients to buy roaming services from suppliers other than their home service suppliers and open up the market to new entrants, so as to boost competition and thus reduce prices.
The regulation on roaming services was adopted by MEPs with 578 votes to 10 with 10 abstentions, and will enter into force on 1 July 2012, replacing the 2007 regulation, which expires on 30 June 2012. The regulation was adopted following an agreement with the Council, and it will reduce the cost of using mobile phones, smartphones and tablets when travelling abroad within the EU.
From 1 July 2012, new retail caps on voice calls will reduce the cost of a one-minute call to 29 cents and 19 cents from July 2014, down from the current maximum of 35 cents. Text messages will also be cheaper, falling from the current maximum price of 11 cents to 9 cents on 1 July this year and 6 cents on 1 July 2014. In addition, the cost of using data services will be capped at 70 Euro cents per megabyte from 1 July 2012 and will then fall in stages to 45 cents in 2013 and 20 cents on 1 July 2014. There is currently no limit to the prices operators can charge for mobile data services to retail consumers.
On the other hand, the new regulation also establishes that as from 1 July 2012, virtual mobile network operators (MVNOs), i.e. those who do not have their own networks, will have the right to access other operator's networks at wholesale prices in order to provide roaming services. This will encourage more operators to compete on the roaming market. Also with this aim, from 1 July 2014, customers will be able to buy their domestic and roaming services separately, from different operators, if they so wish, whilst keeping the same phone number. They will not be charged for switching providers and their home country provider will be obliged to inform them of this right.