European Union to Continue Ban on Mobile Roaming Fees For Another Decade

The European Union extended for another decade its so-called “Roam Like At Home” rule concerning roaming fees charged by mobile operators.
The measure, which first went into effect on July 1, 2017, was extended to 2032.
The “Roam Like at Home” rule means that every EU resident’s home plan will work anywhere in the European Union at no additional cost.
When it went into effect, the United Kingdom was still part of the European Union and the measure meant that British residents wouldn’t be subject to roaming charges on the Continent and vice versa.  Since Brexit, however, U.K. residents are no longer covered by the rule nor are EU visitors to Britain.
Voice calls, data, and text messages are all free of any roaming fees or surcharges.
A joint statement from the European Commission, European parliament, and European Council issued in 2017 described the change as “a concrete, positive result for European citizens.”
There are a few exceptions including a policy to avoid abuse from so-called permanent roamers and users with very inexpensive plans may still face limited fees. In addition, unlimited data plans do not necessarily carry over from country to country.
The European Commission first began to take action on high roaming charges in 2006. Viviane Reding, the European commissioner responsible for telecoms and media regulation at the time, announced the plan saying that “it is only when using your mobile phone abroad that you realise there are still borders in Europe.”
The result was a 92% drop in roaming charges since then. In 2013, the Commission announced plans for a “single telecoms market” by the end of 2015. Roaming costs were reduced in July 2014 and again at the end of April 2016.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)