The European Union (EU) has moved a step closer to the long-awaited abolition of mobile roaming charges across the 28 member states after representatives of the European Parliament, Council and Commission set the prices that mobile network operators (MNOs) can charge one another when their customers roam onto foreign networks.
From 15 June 2017, the wholesale roaming rates will be capped at 3.2 cents (2.7p) per minute of voice call and 1 cent per SMS. Meanwhile, data roaming rates will reduce progressively from €7.70 per gigabyte (GB) in June 2017, to €2.5 per GB from 1 January 2022.
“This was the last piece of the puzzle. As of 15 June, Europeans will be able to travel in the EU without roaming charges. We have also made sure that operators can continue competing to provide the most attractive offers to their home markets,” said Digital Single Market vice-president Andrus Ansip.
“Today we deliver on our promise. I warmly thank the European Parliament rapporteur Miapetra Kumpula-Natri and all the negotiators from the European Parliament, as well as the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU and all those involved in achieving this milestone.
