Agreement on Roaming regulation

The European Parliament and the Czech Presidency have reached a compromise deal on extension of the mobile roaming regulation. In a nutshell the proposed changes are

Voice

- from 1 July 2009: Maximum rates of €0.43 per minute for outgoing and a €0.19 per minute for incoming calls;

- from 1 July 2010: a maximum of €0.39 per minute (excluding VAT) for outgoing and a maximum of €0.15 per minute (excluding VAT) for incoming roaming calls;*

from 1 July 2011: a maximum of €0.35 per minute (excluding VAT) for outgoing and a maximum of €0.11 per minute (excluding VAT) for incoming roaming calls.

From 1 July 2009 operators would have to charge their customers by the second but can apply an initial minimum charging period of 30 seconds, says the compromise text.

SMS: maximum of €0.11 (excluding VAT) from 1 July 2009.

Other data roaming services: regulated at wholesale level

- from 1 July 2009: €1.00 per megabyte;*

- from 1 July 2010: €0.80 per megabyte;*

- from 1 July 2011: a maximum of €0.50 per megabyte.

"bill shocks: providers will have to warn their customers when 80% of the agreed limit has been reached.

This agreement still needs to be backed by the whole parliament and member states