VIENNA (Alliance News) - The EU is introducing huge cuts in mobile roaming price caps next month, a drop of over 50% from last summer. This applies to phone calls, text messages and data downloading.
The European Commission said on Tuesday that from July 1, the price caps for data downloads will be cut by more than half - down from 45 cents per megabyte to 20c/MB (plus VAT). It will become cheaper to use maps, watch videos, check emails and update social networks while traveling across the 28-nation bloc.
Since the EU introduced caps on data roaming, data consumption has risen dramatically.
Roaming charges have dropped by 80-90% from their peak year of 2007.
As per the new tariff, making a call will cost only 19 cents per minute, 21% less than what it cost in 2013.
EU user can receive a call for 5 cents per minute, making it 28.5% cheaper than last year.
One has to spend only 6 cents for sending a text message, 25% down from a year ago.
Downloading data / browsing will be charged at 20 cents per MB. At 45 cents per MB, it had been 55.5% costlier previously.
What's more, from July, mobile providers in Europe can offer you a specific roaming deal before you travel, and where available, allow you to choose a local mobile provider for data services such as emailing, reading the news online, uploading photos and watching videos online, in the country you are visiting.
European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes indicated that by the end of this year, roaming charges will be eliminated from the bloc. The EU is working on new rules to see the end of roaming charges altogether.
The Commission's Connected Continent regulation would also provide a guaranteed open and neutral internet, and better consumer protection for mobile and broadband users.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX