Phone roaming charges to be scrapped from 2017

A complete ban on roaming charges for using mobile phones abroad in the EU is on the way... but it won't be enacted until 2017.

The change will come into effect on June 15, 2017, and clear rules on the right to internet access will become law following the European Parliament’s final adoption of the new telecoms package yesterday (Tuesday).

“This abolition of roaming surcharges has been long awaited by everybody: ordinary people, start-ups, SMEs and all kinds of organisations” said the rapporteur, Pilar del Castillo (EPP, ES), in the debate before the vote.

“Thanks to this agreement, Europe will also become the only region in world which legally guarantees open internet and net neutrality. The principle of net neutrality will be applied directly in the 28 member states. It also ensures that we will not have a two-speed internet.”

By not accepting any amendments to the Council’s position in first reading, MEPs adopted the new law.

Roaming fees for calling, sending text messages and using the mobile internet abroad in the EU (and in EEA countries) will be banned from 15 June 2017.

From 30 April 2016 roaming surcharges (added to the price paid at home) must not exceed: 5 cent per minute for outgoing voice calls, 2 cent for text messages (SMS), or 5 cent per megabyte of mobile internet use.

The cap on charges for incoming voice calls will be determined later this year and is expected to be considerably lower than for outgoing calls.