Pan-European mobile phone network

Amtmann

I am sick and tired of the exorbitant roaming charges imposed by mobile operators across EU countries. Vodafone IE to Vodafone DE should not cost the arm and the leg that it does. Ditto for O2. What's the justification for not harmonising such things in our largely borderless common market with its common currency?

I would sincerely like to the see a pan-European network introduced that would operate in a standard way from Nicosia to Galway, and where prices and number prefixes would be standard. I think the EU should move to do away with international dialing codes between EU states, and compel single operators across the states to harmonise their tariffs and terms of use.

And while they're at it, they should try to set up a single postal service too.

[/rant]

Seriously though: would the above not make infrastructural sense?

Licence holders paid a lot for their licences. ($45.8 billion in Germany it seems)

They and the governments who benefited aren't just going to give it away.

etchyed

3 Like Home
No use to you in Germany but there is somebody doing it at least.

Typewriter

munchkin_utd

etchyed wrote: »

3 Like Home
No use to you in Germany but there is somebody doing it at least.

and heres where they make their money!!

We’re unable to guarantee access to, or coverage on, participating networks while abroad. In the unlikely event that you have to access to another network operator, you will be charged the standard international roaming rates to make and receive calls and messages.

indeed, indeed!
the normal auld lad would not be capable of manually setting the phone network to only use a certain network, if even they remember at all to try and set it the minute they land abroad in the first place!

ardmacha

EU regulations on roaming are going in the right direction. Something on data would be good.

And while they're at it, they should try to set up a single postal service too

While they never had a single postal service, 20 years ago they had a setup where the stamp for Ireland also worked across the EU. This was discontinued a couple of years later.

jesus_thats_gre

Furet wrote: »

Vodafone IE to Vodafone DE should not cost the arm and the leg that it does.

Maybe you could pick a better example?

http://www.vodafone.ie/planscosts/paymonthly/roaming/passport/?ts=1267137760145

Cionád

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Maybe you could pick a better example?

http://www.vodafone.ie/planscosts/paymonthly/roaming/passport/?ts=1267137760145

Which is fine if your pay as you go.

If your bill pay you'll end up spending a lot because while abroad you cannot use your allocated 'free' minutes that come on your tariff.

Deedsie

I'd settle for an All Ireland telecommunications system. Up around the border is crazy for years! Surely O2 or Vodafone could implement an all island tarriff?

MJohnston

Yeah, it amazes me that theres a lack of an All-Ireland mobile network (or tariff). I'd pay £10/€15 extra a month for it.

ardmacha

Yeah, it amazes me that theres a lack of an All-Ireland mobile network (or tariff).

This illustrates the laziness and general uselessness of politicians. This type of practical measure should have been written into the political agreements made. Landlines do not overcharge you for cross border calls, yet when mobiles came along no effort was made to ensure a similar situation.

That said O2 have some arrangements.

nordydan

I believe if you live right on the border exceptions can be made. O2 had a bolt on for just €2 a month on bill pay, not sure if its still going...

jesus_thats_gre

Cionád wrote: »

Which is fine if your pay as you go.

If your bill pay you'll end up spending a lot because while abroad you cannot use your allocated 'free' minutes that come on your tariff.

Read that link again. You will see it is:

Plans & Costs > Pay Montly Plans and Costs > Roaming > Vodafone Passport

Cionád

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Read that link again. You will see it is:

Plans & Costs > Pay Montly Plans and Costs > Roaming > Vodafone Passport

What is your point? Passport applies to both prepay and billpay:
http://www.vodafone.ie/planscosts/prepay/roaming/passport/?ts=1267284287455

My point is that say you pay a 30 euro tariff for 100 minutes, you use 50 minutes of calls in the republic, and then another 10 minutes when in the UK, you have to pay the per-minute rate for those 10mins - (30cent for me) if you were still in ireland it would have been 10 more 'free' minutes.

dubhthach

Looks like the EU are going to implement a CAP on mobile broadband roaming charges. Basically it would be set to a figure (supposdly 50euros) and ye get a warning once you hit 80% of this figure

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/15410/comms/eu-moves-to-eradicate-mobile-broadband-bill-shock
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1594176/eu-caps-mobile-roaming-charges

TBH I would argue that mobile roaming charges go against the spirt of a "single market" especially in cases where you are roaming on a "sister network" eg. Vodafone UK, O2 uk, telefonica etc etc.