Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile

    EU Roaming Gets Cheaper Again Before Charges Are Scrapped In 2017

    By
    Guest Author
    -
    May 2, 2016
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      EU roaming charges

      By Steve McCaskill

      From April 30, mobile operators across the continent will only be able to charge an additional €0.05 (4p) per minute for calls, €0.02 (2p) per text and €0.05 (4p) per MB of data on top of domestic charges or allowances.

      The move should save companies and business travellers money when using their mobile phones abroad, and strengthen the European Commission (EC)’s vision of a single digital market that will encourage economic growth and the development of cross border applications such as connected cars.

      E.U. Roaming Charges

      “We’’re in the home stretch now before the end of roaming charges in 2017,” said Andrus Ansip, vice president for the Digital Single Market. “This is not only about Europeans saving money, this is about bringing down barriers in the Digital Single Market.”

      The abolition of roaming within the European Union has been touted for some time, with caps on fees set incrementally lower each year. In October 2015, the European Parliament finally voted to outlaw roaming charges despite opposition from mobile operators whose income would be affected.

      It is estimated that roaming revenues within the European Union could fall by 28 percent from 2017, but Juniper Research says income will recover in the medium term once people start to become more comfortable using their phone abroad.

      A recent study by uSwitch found one quarter of Brits already think roaming has been abolished within the EU and 62 percent fear using their phone abroad because of bill shock concerns. A third don’t use their phone at all. Many travellers turn off roaming when they arrive in a foreign country or use free WiFi and local SIMs, meaning operators earn no revenue at all.

      Operator Opportunity

      Three has already abolished some charges in a number of countries as part of its ‘Feel at Home’ offer, while Carphone Warehouse’s iD mobile victual network operator offers inclusive roaming in 29 countries, including the USA and Australia. Tesco has eliminated roaming costs in 31 countries, all in Europe, between now and September 3.

      “Waiting until June 2017 for EU roaming to incur no additional cost is both frustrating and confusing for mobile users,” said Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch. “But there is a silver lining–this should be the final price drop before roaming charges are abolished in the EU for good.

      “These price drops are especially good news for any Brits planning a summer trip to the Continent–and football fans heading to France for the Euros, too –but until EU roaming charges are fully abolished consumers should still be aware of the pitfalls.

      “Of course, the EC’s caps don’t protect anyone travelling outside the EU. This is where mobile networks need to focus their attentions next, as the fear of sky-high roaming bills further afield certainly isn’t an irrational one. More than one in ten (11 percent ) customers who’ve been outside the EU in the past year have received a higher than normal bill–’averaging £103.”

      Guest Author

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×