EU data roaming costs slashed by 50%
The cost of using the internet on a mobile phone when travelling in the EU has fallen by more than 50 per cent today – just in time to escape the wet summer weather in the UK.
New caps on data roaming charges within the European Union, which come into force from July 1, reduce the cost of browsing the web from 36p/MB to 16p.
The cost of making calls within the EU will also fall to 15p a minute from 19p, while the cost of receiving calls will fall from 6p to 4p.
These charges apply within the European Union on all standard mobile tariffs, which means they exclude customers who’ve chosen a special roaming deal from their network operator.
European Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes said: “This huge drop in data roaming prices will make a big difference to all of us this summer. But it is not enough. Why should we have roaming charges at all in a single market?
“By the end of this year I hope we see the complete end of roaming charges agreed – the parliament has done their part, now it is up to member states to seal the deal.”
Of course, the simplest way to avoid data roaming charges when abroad is to take advantage of free wi-fi in hotels and cafes as much as possible.
