Internet, calling and texting in the EU at no extra cost will be extended until 2032
The EU Member States and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on the new roaming regulation. In this agreement, the current regulations, which have been in force since 2017, will be extended until 2032. This means that we can call, text and use the internet in the EU for at least another ten years at no extra cost.
Just like home
The new regulation states that people should experience the same quality as at home. Hence they have given it the appropriate name ‘Roaming like at home’. For example, if you have a 5G subscription, you should also be able to use it in another EU country. A network of another provider would then have to take over the network through roaming. A technique that ensures that your phone automatically chooses a different network. A small caveat here is that an equivalent network must be available. If not, providers should report this to their users. That’s what the regulation says.
Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market within the EU, has this to say: ”Spending holidays in Greece, Austria or Bulgaria. Visiting customers or suppliers in Italy or Estonia. Traveling abroad without worrying about phone bills is a tangible part of the EU single market experience for all Europeans. Today, we not only ensure that this experience continues to exist, but we also upgrade it: better quality, better service, even more transparency.”
Emergencies
The new regulation further elaborates on emergency communication. There should be better access to this communication and more information about it in the EU. Institutions must therefore ensure that people are better informed about the possibilities of accessing emergency services. For example, people should be better informed about the possibilities of 112, but more information should also be given about available apps that are available for emergency communication. The new roaming regulation will come into effect on July 1, 2022.
