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European Commission criticised for roaming charges ‘U-turn: Fair usage rules to come

  • 07-09-2016 2:01pm
    #1
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,881 ✭✭✭✭


    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/european-commission-criticised-for-roaming-charges-u-turn-1.2782745
    ...
    have taken out the FF bla bla.

    Be an interesting piece of coding for the IT guys.

    I think its fair enough, just surprised they have not gone for enforcing proper ID with the PAYG sims, which are verboten in places like Spain.

    "..earlier this week, the commission published a draft “fair usage policy” which it said was designed to stop consumers abusing the system.
    Under the proposals, phone users will be allowed no more than 90 days of free roaming per year and will also be forced to connect to their roaming provider’s home network at least once every 30 days.

    The commission said the caps were designed to stop permanent roaming which would allow a person buy a SIM card in a country where prices are cheaper and use it full-time in their home market.
    “Such situations could have a negative impact on domestic prices, and ultimately on all consumers,” said the commission.


    The document also says the ruling will not apply to phone users who connect to a foreign network and their home network on the same day, a move which will protect phone users travelling from the Republic to Northern Ireland and vice versa from being unfairly penalised.

    The commission also wants to apply limits to customers on unlimited tariff plans. If the proposals are given the green light customers will be allowed to use the average volume of service - whether it is minutes, texts, or data - consumed by customers on that tariff without incurring roaming charges.

    The fair usage policy will also target prepaid customers who will have to have used at least a typical month’s worth of credit on their home network before they can qualify for free roaming.

    The commission said this was to stop customers using a SIM card exclusively for free roaming.

    The Commission has opened consultations with the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and member ahead of finalisation of the plans."     .

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



Comments

  • #2
    ScumLord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    I thought all this was done and dusted until I went on holiday a few weeks ago. got the message that eircom would be charging 10c per call, 1.14c to receive a call and 5c per megabite. As far as I can remember with vodafone they just put you on the local rates.

    With today's technology it's a complete con charging people more abroad.


  • #3
    RobertKK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,761 ✭✭✭✭RobertKK


    A united states of Europe would solve a lot of problems...


  • #4
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    RobertKK wrote: »
    A united states of Europe would solve a lot of problems...
    Bit drastic for cheap calls? Maybe if our overlords weren't in the pocket of big business and the shareholder wasn't consistently put ahead of the society?


  • #5
    RobertKK
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,761 ✭✭✭✭RobertKK


    suicide_circus wrote: »
    Bit drastic for cheap calls? Maybe if our overlords weren't in the pocket of big business and the shareholder wasn't consistently put ahead of the society?

    It would be not much different than what we have now, there would still be the state parliament like they have in the US, local taxes and so on.
    We are just one step away from it anyhow.
    We have a European parliament.
    A European court.
    A European president (citizens should be allowed to elect)
    A European foreign minister.
    A common currency between most members with a shared central bank.
    We are citizens of the European Union and if abroad can seek assistance from a fellow EU member embassy if there is no Irish embassy or consulate.

    Yet when it comes to services we can be fleeced, can have higher interest rates on loans and mortgages.
    The mobile phone situation is like having a limit on electricity use when abroad, it is that stupid.
    The new rules are protectionism for overpriced mobile phone and data services.
    Imagine if you could get a cheap plan in somewhere like Greece and use it in Germany or Ireland...the horror of it all.
    But when it comes to something far more significant like currency, it is fine that we can use Euro coins from elsewhere in Europe. Fine to share a common currency, but no to mobile phone plans from other EU states...


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