EU may end all roaming charges

NFH · 17-06-2013, 08:35

Based on the European Commission's plans and comments, it is possible that it will cost the same to make a call to a mobile or fixed line anywhere within the EU; O2 Slovakia already does this. It would be nice if the country of one's mobile number no longer has any financial significance and becomes merely the personal choice of the user, i.e. with which country they want to associate themselves. This would be akin to North America whereby consumers choose mobile numbers solely based on the area code with which they want to be associated.

Assuming that it will cost the same to use a SIM card throughout the EU, it will be particularly attractive to have a prepaid SIM card issued in the UK:

No requirement to top up to keep SIM cards active; one balance deduction every six months suffices.
All the major international companies are already main networks in the UK - Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Three.
No VAT on roaming outside the EU VAT area. The UK opted to exempt non-EU roaming from UK VAT under Article 9(3)(a) of Council Directive 77/388 ("the Sixth VAT Directive") so that it could charge UK VAT to visitors from outside the EU VAT area who are roaming in the UK. This was enacted under Article 19 of the Value Added Tax (Place of Supply of Services) Order 1992.

	(#3)
NFH (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 322 Join Date: 11 Apr 2012 Location: London Country:	17-06-2013, 08:35 Based on the European Commission's plans and comments, it is possible that it will cost the same to make a call to a mobile or fixed line anywhere within the EU; O2 Slovakia already does this. It would be nice if the country of one's mobile number no longer has any financial significance and becomes merely the personal choice of the user, i.e. with which country they want to associate themselves. This would be akin to North America whereby consumers choose mobile numbers solely based on the area code with which they want to be associated. Assuming that it will cost the same to use a SIM card throughout the EU, it will be particularly attractive to have a prepaid SIM card issued in the UK: No requirement to top up to keep SIM cards active; one balance deduction every six months suffices. All the major international companies are already main networks in the UK - Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Three. No VAT on roaming outside the EU VAT area. The UK opted to exempt non-EU roaming from UK VAT under Article 9(3)(a) of Council Directive 77/388 ("the Sixth VAT Directive") so that it could charge UK VAT to visitors from outside the EU VAT area who are roaming in the UK. This was enacted under Article 19 of the Value Added Tax (Place of Supply of Services) Order 1992.