European roaming charges will end in 2014

Post by duiker101 » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 2:56 PM UTC

ed_blackburn wrote: post #29

netrus wrote: post #3

This has huge psychological implications, similar to not carrying a passport while crossing borders and paying with the same coins everywhere: All these measures help to get the feeling that Europe is indeed one place, one community. Weekend trips to other countries are not a privilege of the 1 percent over here, more like the top 30-50%. I love to see what is happening right now, and I'm confident it will survive an…

As you allude; unless you live in the UK where the media shove it down our throats that we're special and don't need that level of co-operation, integration and instead should leave the EU (and presumably be a de-facto additional US state). For those of us in the UK that do visit Europe or wish to speak to people in Europe with Google Hangout, Skype etc. this is excellent news, as it presumably is for all Europeans.

Post by bergie » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:02 PM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #9

morganwilde wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as I'm concerned, this is bigger than the freedom of physical movement within the EU country borders. Now our data will move with us!

I don't think I'd go that far! It's an added convenience, but my data already moves with me through the EU, since non-phone internet access (coffee shops, libraries, McDonald's, 7-11, hotels, etc.) is pretty widespread.

Post by mseebach » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:24 PM UTC

hencq wrote: post #40

mseebach wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is what they seem to be promising (and we all know that then politicians promise something, that's how it's going to be). It's not clear how it will be implemented, and it's not clear why a dutch provider should honor a commitment for unlimited data that a UK provider has made to you.

Note that many providers are already active in multiple countries. For example Vodafone has business entities in the UK and the Netherlands, so those agreements should be relatively straightforward to set up.

Post by tveita » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:26 PM UTC

mseebach wrote: post #37

mmahemoff wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The telcos make a small fortune every time a business traveller runs up thousands of Euros/Pounds/etc (often at the expense of their employer's shareholders). It's not surprising if the telcos increase everyone's fees a bit if this money is no longer coming in. And I'm fine with that. Overall, it means previously underutilised capacity will finally be used. 99% of people were unable to use all mobile broadband when a…

I read somewhere in some other coverage of this reform that the measures were expected to drain about 2% from telcos' revenues. Even if they raise their prices by 5% (which isn't given), that's (a) still a decent deal if you travel ever (but unfair that non-travellers would end up subsidising travellers) (b) quickly eaten up by the continuously falling prices of mobile plans.

Post by Luc » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:30 PM UTC

raphman wrote: post #22

Luc wrote: post #15

There's a hundred operators in Europe, whereas there's three or four in the US and China. This fits in Neelie Kroes' plan to drive consolidation among operators.

Have such plans been announced/alleged? As far as I know, there are only a handful, multinational operators with own cell tower infrastructure. The rest are more or less just resellers.