27 EU Member States Ministers today formally adopted the new EU roaming rules, which last September proposed that the European Commission and the Council adopted the European Parliament. The new EU roaming rules provide for the 1. July, just the start of vacation time, up to 60% reduction in the price of roaming, has informed the EC Representation in Latvia spokesman Ivars Bušmanis. The new EU Roaming Regulation, in particular, indicates that consumers, while in another EU country, do not pay more than 11 euro cents (excluding VAT) for sending text messages. Consumers with mobile phones will also be able to surf the web, download movies or send vacation photos, and returned home, will not receive even shocking bills for roaming. Under the new rules, mobile operators will also be constructed to its customers roaming charges for calls made from mobile phones per second, rather than a minute after the first 30 seconds, thereby reducing phone bills by up to 24%, respectively. At todays EU Council of Ministers approval of the new EU roaming rules now will come into force from 1. July in all 27 EU Member States.
“Today the Council of Ministers unanimously adopted the new roaming rules confirms that the most recent procedural obstacles have prevented, and from 1st July they will provide clear benefits to consumers. The Council followed the example of Parliament – the Parliament in April by an overwhelming majority supported the new rules. They are excellent news for European citizens who will go on vacation this summer and will use the roaming services without having to worry about shocking bills then, “said EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding.
Following a political agreement between the European Parliament and Council, which has already been reached this year, April the European Parliament plenary session by an overwhelming majority voted in favor of the said regulation.
To expedite this process and to ensure that the new roaming rules into effect in time before a holiday season, about employment, social policy, health and consumer issues in the responsible Ministers today adopted the EU Roaming Regulation, after last years November 27 national telecommunications ministers gave an informal political support to the proposal.
Todays Council vote is the final step in the approval process and allows the President of the European Parliament and the Council Presidency to formally sign the regulation 18. June. So a few days later it may be published on the EUs Official Journal. Since the new roaming rules of the EU regulation, they will come into effect immediately in all 27 Member States, 2009. 1. July.
The new EU roaming rules, which was endorsed by the Council today, provides:
- Establish a maximum price that consumers can be charged for sending text messages, while abroad, 11 Euro cents (excluding VAT), in contrast, the price applicable at present, namely, 28 euro cents (currently roaming in the message sent by the Netherlands and Portugal, the price is even higher than 35 euro cents);
- Significantly reduce the cost of data roaming (the cost of surfing the web or for downloading films via mobile phone abroad) by setting a wholesale cap “, ie 1 euro per megabyte downloaded. By comparison, the average wholesale price per megabyte is currently 1.68 euros, while the highest fee for this service in Ireland (6.82 euros), Greece (5.30 euros) and Estonia (5.10 euro). Wholesale “ceiling” price to fall to 80 euro cents in 2010. year 2011. year to 50 euro cents, and consumers will continue to bill for roaming decline;
- To protect consumers from “shocking bills” because they could choose to discontinue the service, the bill amounts to 50 euros, (unless the user chooses to set an upper limit), the operators new transparency measures should be introduced until 2010. March;
- Further price reductions for calls from mobile phones via roaming. Currently, the maximum price is 46 euro cents for calls made abroad and 22 euro cents for calls received abroad, but 2009. 1. For the maximum level will be lowered to 43 euro cents and 19 euro cents, 2010. 1. July – to be 39 euro cents and 15 euro cents, and 2011. 1. July – for up to 35 euro cents and 11 euro cents (all prices are per minute and without VAT);
- Drawing up the service bill, based on the service time in seconds after the call the first 30 seconds of the call roaming, and after the first seconds when receiving calls abroad. Currently, according to the roaming service method of determining the cost per minute, customers paid approximately 20% more than actually consumed, calling or receiving calls.
The resources used :
Tvnet.lv
