EU may end all roaming charges

wco81 · 03-07-2013, 23:58

Actually, there are two different things.

They do have existing laws to decrease roaming charges every year.

But the EU commissioner wants to eliminate them entirely, which would be a big change, to set up one mobile market across the EU. The politicians like the idea but the mobile industry may not necessarily like it.

This more radical proposal may or may not pass into law. The industry may lobby heavily against it.

Then there could be all kinds of unintended consequences.

The carriers make a lot of money on roaming fees. If they're abolished, their response may be to raise fees for other services.

Here's a better overview:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05...?pagewanted=all&_r=0

wco81 · 09-08-2013, 18:39

So here are the prospects for EU commissioner Kroes' proposal to drop all roaming.

Bets on Europe Ending Data-Roaming Charges Exaggerated - Bloomberg

Industry is against it but they've been against the price caps on roaming charges that the EU has been imposing for years.

Kroes rationale is that the EU wireless market should be more like the US, where there Americans can use data throughout the country without roaming charges, whereas a UK citizen visiting nearby France would be subject to high roaming data and voice charges.

EU is behind US and Asia in 4G deployments, partially due to price competition from too many carriers. Of course, on the other hand, US carriers charge higher prices for inferior coverage.

The legislation has several milestones coming up including in September when the other EU commissioners would have to support it, then to the countries and then there could be votes ahead of elections next May (for the EU parliament?).

	(#1)
wco81 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 304 Join Date: 17 Jun 2007 Country:	03-07-2013, 23:58 Actually, there are two different things. They do have existing laws to decrease roaming charges every year. But the EU commissioner wants to eliminate them entirely, which would be a big change, to set up one mobile market across the EU. The politicians like the idea but the mobile industry may not necessarily like it. This more radical proposal may or may not pass into law. The industry may lobby heavily against it. Then there could be all kinds of unintended consequences. The carriers make a lot of money on roaming fees. If they're abolished, their response may be to raise fees for other services. Here's a better overview: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05...?pagewanted=all&_r=0

	(#2)
wco81 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 304 Join Date: 17 Jun 2007 Country:	09-08-2013, 18:39 So here are the prospects for EU commissioner Kroes' proposal to drop all roaming. Bets on Europe Ending Data-Roaming Charges Exaggerated - Bloomberg Industry is against it but they've been against the price caps on roaming charges that the EU has been imposing for years. Kroes rationale is that the EU wireless market should be more like the US, where there Americans can use data throughout the country without roaming charges, whereas a UK citizen visiting nearby France would be subject to high roaming data and voice charges. EU is behind US and Asia in 4G deployments, partially due to price competition from too many carriers. Of course, on the other hand, US carriers charge higher prices for inferior coverage. The legislation has several milestones coming up including in September when the other EU commissioners would have to support it, then to the countries and then there could be votes ahead of elections next May (for the EU parliament?).