Starting on Monday 1st July mobile phone costs abroad are set to be slashed by new EU regulations.
The EU has made several attempts to curve these high roaming charges, both in 2007 and 2012 which reduced the cost for voice calls, SMS messages and mobile internet.
Making a call will fall by 25% to 24 euro cents a minute (21p), and receiving a call will drop from 7p per minute to 6p. Internet browsing takes the biggest hit from 60p per MB down to 39p per MB. Lastly, sending a text will drop from 8p to 7p.
If those charges still seem high to you, they are only a cap. This allows EU countries to set their own rate, although EU residents will at least have the guarantee of the cap. Unfortunately if you travel outside of the EU this cap does not apply and rates will be higher.
Commission vice president Neelie Kroes said: “The EU has to be relevant to people’s lives.
“The latest price cuts put more money in your pocket for summer, and are a critical step towards getting rid of these premiums once and for all.
“This is good for both consumers and companies, because it takes fear out of the market, and it grows the market.”
Further reductions are set to be achieved by July next year.
