Eurotariff for all and full transparency
On Sunday 30 September 2007, the full benefit of the European Union's regulation on roaming will become evident to all. It marks the day when all mobile users should benefit from the new Eurotariff and be made aware of roaming charges anytime they cross an internal border of the EU.
(28/09/2007) 30 September is the official deadline by which all mobile phone users should benefit from the regulation's price ceilings -
tariffs no higher than 49 eurocents per minute for calls made abroad and
no higher than 24 eurocents for calls received abroad, excluding VAT. Since July / August early
Eurotariff adopters have already benefited from offers of the more proactive mobile operators. Such EU consumers are now paying up to 70% less for using their mobile phone abroad.
The 30 September deadline is for all mobile operators to changeover all of their customers to the Eurotariff, if they have not already reacted and if they do not have a pre-existing roaming package.
Sunday is also the deadline by when all mobile customers should receive price information every time they cross an EU border. This obligation for more transparency will guarantee users are kept aware of the cost of using their phone abroad. It also means that it will be easier for customers to shop around for cheaper deals, an important element for increasing competition and for keeping prices low.
Further details on the Europe-wide compliance of the EU roaming regulation will be announced at a press conference of Commissioner Reding, and a technical briefing in Brussels on 4 October.
The EU roaming regulation became law on 30 June.
Further information on roaming
Status of the Eurotariff in all 27 EU countries
Related articles
Phone Use and Emergencies in Hungary
Country code: 36
Area codes:
- Budapest area code: 1 + 7 digit phone number
- The rest of the country: two-digit area code + 6 digit phone number (Ex. Zebra Taxi, Kecskemet: 76-444-444; 76 being the area code for Kecskemet, 444-444 the cab company’s phone number.)
- Cell phones: two digit company code (the equivalent of an area code on the land-line) + 7 digit phone number.
Roaming in the EU after the 30 July deadline
One month after the EU Roaming Regulation to reduce mobile roaming charges entered into force, the Commission has published a website to benchmark how mobile operators in all 27 Member States have applied the new EU rules.
The Commission has found that
the broad majority of mobile phone operators comply with the EU Regulation by offering customers the new "Eurotariff" (tariffs no higher than €0.49 per minute for calls made abroad and no higher than €0.24 for calls received abroad, excluding VAT).
Roaming Charge Caps Officially Endorsed
The EU Telecom Ministry officially agreed to lower cost of roaming fees for consumers dialing abroad. The new,
mandatory roaming cap for all 27 member states of the EU will take effect on Saturday, June 30, 2007.
