EU unveils new mobile data roaming caps

by Scott Bicheno on 6 July 2011, 16:29

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The European Commission has unveiled a raft of new measures aimed at protecting consumers from the more larcenous roaming charges they're likely to face if they dare to even look at their mobile devices while on holiday.

As well as extending and lowering the cap on roaming charges for voice calls, the EC is also introducing a cap on both the amount per MB that can be charged for mobile and the wholesale price operators can charge each other, including MVNOs.

On top of all that, the EU is proposing regulations that would increase competition in this area by allowing people to sign up for a cheaper mobile roaming contract while retaining the use of their mobile phone number from 1 July 2014.

Neelie Kroes, EC VP for the digital agenda, said: "This proposal tackles the root cause of the problem - the lack of competition on roaming markets - by giving customers more choice and by giving alternative operators easier access to the roaming market. It would also immediately bring down prices for data roaming, where operators currently enjoy outrageous profit margins."

Interesting that Kroes feels empowered to be the arbiter of what is acceptable profit. We wonder if she considers an annual basic salary for a public official of €265,464 to be ‘outrageous'. Presumably not, as that's what she's paid.

Because it will still be a few years until this kind of competition comes into effect, the EC has proposed a sliding scale of reduced roaming charges. Here they are.

Current and proposed retail price caps (excluding VAT)

	Current	1 July 2012	1 July 2013	1 July 2014
Data (per MB)	None	90 cents	70 cents	50 cents
Voice-calls made (per minute)	35 cents	32 cents	28 cents	24 cents
Voice-calls received (per minute)	11 cents	11 cents	10 cents	10 cents
SMS (per SMS)	11 cents	10 cents	10 cents	10 cents

Current and proposed wholesale price caps (on prices operators charge each other)

	Current	1 July 2012	1 July 2013	1 July 2014
Data (per MB)	50 cents	30 cents	20 cents	10 cents
Voice (per minute)	18 cents	14 cents	10 cents	6 cents
SMS (per SMS)	4 cents	3 cents	3 cents	2 cents

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HEXUS
Interesting that Kroes feels empowered to be the arbiter of what is acceptable profit. We wonder if she considers an annual basic salary for a public official of €265,464 to be ‘outrageous'. Presumably not, as that's what she's paid.

Why did you feel the need to bring up the EU Commissioner's salary or expenses? Is it relevant to the cost mobile phone roming? are you a shill for Vodafone?

Personally I would prefer that our elected representives are well paid, as it make them much less suceptable to petty little bits of corruption, such as in this case accepting a free phone from a mobile operator, and then no longer being as interested in the cost of using it abroad.

In any case is that €265,464 just the salary or does it cover expenses as well, because if it is the expenses then I would say it is reasonable, as each MEP needs to maintain an office in both Brussels, and Strasburg, pay staff and travel between them, as well as to their constituency.

I applaud the work the EU are doing to reduce mobile roaming costs, but IMHO it is not happening fast enough.

I would be interested to hear where you found that figure (I presume you must have some other source than Google); however I do consider it extortionate and tbh ineffective at preventing bribes. For any implemented change to negatively affect a large company sufficiently that they would consider bribing an official, the change would have to run into the millions of pounds. And at that point, they could throw half a million at the official and not even blink an eye. And that's a lot, even if you do earn it in two years.

chrestomanci
Why did you feel the need to bring up the EU Commissioner's salary or expenses? Is it relevant to the cost mobile phone roming? are you a shill for Vodafone?

Personally I would prefer that our elected representives are well paid, as it make them much less suceptable to petty little bits of corruption, such as in this case accepting a free phone from a mobile operator, and then no longer being as interested in the cost of using it abroad.

In any case is that €265,464 just the salary or does it cover expenses as well, because if it is the expenses then I would say it is reasonable, as each MEP needs to maintain an office in both Brussels, and Strasburg, pay staff and travel between them, as well as to their constituency.

I applaud the work the EU are doing to reduce mobile roaming costs, but IMHO it is not happening fast enough.

Yeah, you caught me pal! :heckle:

I think I made it clear why I thought it was relevant and what the figure referred to, why don't you read the story again?

I'd love to see the evidence for your assertion that people who earn lots of money are less corruptible.

miniyazz
I would be interested to hear where you found that figure (I presume you must have some other source than Google); however I do consider it extortionate and tbh ineffective at preventing bribes. For any implemented change to negatively affect a large company sufficiently that they would consider bribing an official, the change would have to run into the millions of pounds. And at that point, they could throw half a million at the official and not even blink an eye. And that's a lot, even if you do earn it in two years.

It's a matter of public record, although I will confess to using Google as one of my tools for finding the source information.

EU unveils new mobile data roaming caps

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