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Roaming will remain free within the EU until at least 2032. European citizens will be able to call, text and use mobile data in other EU countries for the next ten years at no extra cost.
The European Commission writes that the EU and its Member States have reached an agreement on new roaming legislation. This means that roaming charges within the region will be abolished until at least 2032. The previous free roaming agreement, signed in 2017, was set to expire on July 1, 2022. The new law will enter into force on the same date.
According to the EU, the new legislation will bring some other ‘benefits and protections’ for consumers, in addition to keeping free roaming. Travelers should get the same connection quality as in their home country. For example, users who use 5G at home should also receive it abroad. If this is not possible, for example because no equivalent networks are available, network operators must inform the consumer about this.
Providers should also inform consumers if there are additional costs associated with calling telephone numbers that are often toll-free or incur ‘limited charges’ when calling from home. The EU gives customer service numbers, help desks or insurance companies as examples. Also, the connection to certain networks should automatically stop when the account reaches a predetermined limit. This concerns networks that are, for example, offered on boats or in airplanes, which often entail high costs.
The new legislation also aims to provide citizens with ‘free and enhanced access to emergency communications’, including caller location. Network operators must start informing consumers how to reach emergency services via 112, the emergency number used in EU Member States. By June 2023, operators must automatically inform customers via text message about alternative ways to reach emergency services, for example for people with disabilities. The European Commission lists apps or ‘real-time text’ as alternatives to the 112 emergency number.
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