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ROAMING CHARGES FOR mobile users will be cut ahead of the holiday season after MEPs green-lit new caps on the amount operators can charge.
The new regulations, which will apply from July 1, will have an especially dramatic effect on the cost of data use while abroad. This will be capped at 70c per megabyte – a number that will drop further to 45c in 2013 and 20c in 2014.
Currently, mobile companies can charge an unlimited amount for data used while travelling.
Meanwhile, voice calls will be capped at 29c per minute, down from the current level of 35c.
Text messages will cost a maximum of 9c each, a figure that will fall to just 6c by July 2014.
From 2014, the new rules will also give consumers the right to shop around between roaming operators – even buying their domestic and roaming services separately. It’s hoped this will increase competition and further bring down prices.
MEPs voted for the new regulations by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament today. There were 578 votes in favour, 10 against and 10 abstentions.
The ballot effectively rubber-stamps the legislation which was agreed by the parliament’s Industry Committee in March. It will now be approved by the EU Council of Ministers.
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If there is an EU by 2014 that is.
It’s still very high. A reduction is welcome but this ever so small reduction is hardly worth reporting on
Ah here mark this is cheaper than the prices I was paying domestically about 5 years ago. I remember I was on 50c a minute to other networks on Vodafone pay as you go
I remember prices similar to that too and as I said, any reduction is welcome. It could and should be a hell of a lot cheaper though
With my prepay plan from three if i dont top up by 20 a month i pay 12cent a text and 29cent a minute for calls??? I honestly have no idea where your argument is coming from??
I also pay 1 euro per mb for data…so this would actually be cheaper if i was abroad? Or will this cap effect domestic users as well?
In fairness though I top by 20 a month, get free texts to all networks, free calls to three, free calls to any network at the weekend and unlimited data….plus an extra 10 euro credit each month…sweet deal!
Im on the 02 network,i went to London & was on 02 Uk while over there..i sent an email & checked my facebook for 5mins & i got charged €12.75..robbery
Get onto o2. They have a code for UK calls that you charged the same as Ireland when on o2 UK. I can’t remember it offhand. You could try get a refund on basis you were not told ……
20c per MB is still way too high.
70cent per mb is damn good . last year i was in spain for 3days i was charged 7euro per mb my bill was 190euro when i got home robbers
Same shit different year. This was fed to the public last summer. The mobile operators are laughing because they know by 2016 most calls and txts will be free. Vodafone and the like a corporate vampires. They avoided paying BILLIONS in tax owed to the people in UK & Irl. Who do the politicians work for? Us or the corporations?!
It’s cheaper now to send a text if im abroad, than it is at home….
O2 do not allow data calls once you leave the Republic and are on PAYG.
No EU action there, I suppose?
Three billpay have no roaming charges between uk and ireland, its called like home.very handy using your free units to call and free data etc while being across the water!
True, it works across quite a few countries.
Just returned to Australia from Ireland, I’m with Vodafone Australia , used my iPhone to check emails etc, the usage was 51.7mb and I was charged $567 about €440 . Vodafone here tell it is the overseas providers who charged them and they are passing it on, someone telling porkies .. Have enough to dispute the bill
They should remove it, I’m tired of trying to call home or connect to the internet from abroad and having to pay a fortune
I get great value while abroad, with me vod passport data calls n all are the same as home.
Use viber for free calls n texts too it’s savage
have your say