DATA ROAMING CHARGES TO END JUNE 15 IN EU.
There is nothing worse than returning home from a lovely holiday only to find you have been hit with a massive bill for data roaming charges.
Whilst it is true that costs for using your mobile phone abroad have fallen sharply over the past few years, the very notion of being charged more just for crossing borders – particularly in a continent as interconnected as Europe – has always felt slightly excessive on the part of the mobile service providers.
For years, the EU have been trying to end this unfair practice and on June 15th this year it will come to an end for good, meaning that you can use any EU-registered phone in any EU country at no extra cost.
The ‘Roam at Home’ will be introduced to level charges, and also means your provider will not levy any additional fees even if you were to visit non-EU countries that are part of the European Economic Area (EEA), such as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Thoughts will now turn to the thorny issue of Brexit for the British and whether come March 2019 – UK based mobile service providers will also offer the same service to their customers. It is too early to say for sure what deal the UK will strike with the EU or whether companies like Vodafone or O2 have any leverage, but until that time Brits abroad can use their phone as they wish from June 15th with the confidence that there will be no painful bills on their return home.
One major problem is the mobile phone companies among some the EU providers themselves as they plan to increase prices to offset this loss in income. Reports suggest that Spanish provider Movistar will increase its tariffs at home to compensate the EU ruling, while Orange and Vodafone will also follow suit after June.
