European roaming charges will end in 2014 • Hacker News Board

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#51

Post by ronaldx » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:37 PM UTC

bad_user wrote: post #34

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!

The two are tightly related, although physical movement is more important because in absence of it you waist a lot of time to get a Visa and there's always the possibility that you might not get it, whereas with roaming charges it's only a matter of convenience and price. Btw, whenever I travel within EU one of the first things I do after landing would be to get a PrePay card. In European countries PrePay offers are…

Yes: of course this benefits large, incumbent service providers.

Smaller providers will find it difficult to compete now that they are obliged to offer the same level of service, at the same cost, to people travelling throughout the EU.

This ultimately excludes the possibility of cheaper local services: I find it a surprising move from the EU who should act to prevent anti-competitive practices.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#52

Post by phillc73 » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:44 PM UTC

ovi256 wrote: post #23

marcosscriven wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No doubt the 'Mail will be able to spin it in some convoluted manner to look like another example of 'immigrants' stealing our jobs/money. No idea how, but they will.

Well, it's pretty simple. Consolidation of telcos will lead to less C-level executive jobs, less Network Operation Center jobs, less network architecture and planning jobs, so there you have it, this measure can only destroy jobs.

I'm pretty sure the Daily Mail will gleefully inform us that as we're all likely to use our mobile phones in Europe a lot more after this change takes place, we'll all have cancer.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#53

Post by Bosence » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:46 PM UTC

duiker101 wrote: post #41

ed_blackburn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I'd like to disagree with you, it might be true that the media try to make you think you are special but the truth is different, I am an Italian that has recently moved to the UK and I found the transition EXCEPTIONALLY smooth. Really, it is like I moved to any other city in Italy, I had no problem with documents, registration or anything. You are welcome and is totally normal to move in/out. EDIT: I speak of persona…

I'd imagine it's a bit different from eastern Europe, sadly.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#54

Post by marcosscriven » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:51 PM UTC

phillc73 wrote: post #52

ovi256 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it's pretty simple. Consolidation of telcos will lead to less C-level executive jobs, less Network Operation Center jobs, less network architecture and planning jobs, so there you have it, this measure can only destroy jobs.

I'm pretty sure the Daily Mail will gleefully inform us that as we're all likely to use our mobile phones in Europe a lot more after this change takes place, we'll all have cancer.

OMG you're right, the immigrants gave us cancer too! Pesky immigrants.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#55

Post by Bosence » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:53 PM UTC

ronaldx wrote: post #51

bad_user wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The two are tightly related, although physical movement is more important because in absence of it you waist a lot of time to get a Visa and there's always the possibility that you might not get it, whereas with roaming charges it's only a matter of convenience and price. Btw, whenever I travel within EU one of the first things I do after landing would be to get a PrePay card. In European countries PrePay offers are…

Yes: of course this benefits large, incumbent service providers. Smaller providers will find it difficult to compete now that they are obliged to offer the same level of service, at the same cost, to people travelling throughout the EU. This ultimately excludes the possibility of cheaper local services: I find it a surprising move from the EU who should act to prevent anti-competitive practices.

There's nothing saying that they have to provide coverage, just the same price.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#56

Post by Bosence » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:54 PM UTC

marcosscriven wrote: post #12

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Now, as a European citizen based on a little island called Great Britain, I just hope our short sighted little-Englander politicians don't pull us out of the European Union.

I highly doubt they will, there's too much to lose. They're just bluffing hot air to win over support from UKIP/BNP voters.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#57

Post by kyriakos » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 3:59 PM UTC

duiker101 wrote: post #41

ed_blackburn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I'd like to disagree with you, it might be true that the media try to make you think you are special but the truth is different, I am an Italian that has recently moved to the UK and I found the transition EXCEPTIONALLY smooth. Really, it is like I moved to any other city in Italy, I had no problem with documents, registration or anything. You are welcome and is totally normal to move in/out. EDIT: I speak of persona…

I hear Romanian's and Bulgarian's don't get the same treatment (even though here in Cyprus without trying to stereotype they tend to abuse the system)

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#58

Post by visarga » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 4:12 PM UTC

Bosence wrote: post #53

duiker101 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to disagree with you, it might be true that the media try to make you think you are special but the truth is different, I am an Italian that has recently moved to the UK and I found the transition EXCEPTIONALLY smooth. Really, it is like I moved to any other city in Italy, I had no problem with documents, registration or anything. You are welcome and is totally normal to move in/out. EDIT: I speak of persona…

I'd imagine it's a bit different from eastern Europe, sadly.

Actually Eastern Europeans can travel easily wherever they desire with a passport or a national ID card, no need for visas. Some countries are not using the Euro though, and it has protected them from the economic crisis to a degree.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#59

Post by quattrofan » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 4:26 PM UTC

phillc73 wrote: post #52

ovi256 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it's pretty simple. Consolidation of telcos will lead to less C-level executive jobs, less Network Operation Center jobs, less network architecture and planning jobs, so there you have it, this measure can only destroy jobs.

I'm pretty sure the Daily Mail will gleefully inform us that as we're all likely to use our mobile phones in Europe a lot more after this change takes place, we'll all have cancer.

I like it, so headline "EU Mobile phone directive causes brain tumours and raises unemployment"

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#60

Post by peteretep » Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 4:29 PM UTC

kyriakos wrote: post #57

duiker101 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to disagree with you, it might be true that the media try to make you think you are special but the truth is different, I am an Italian that has recently moved to the UK and I found the transition EXCEPTIONALLY smooth. Really, it is like I moved to any other city in Italy, I had no problem with documents, registration or anything. You are welcome and is totally normal to move in/out. EDIT: I speak of persona…

I hear Romanian's and Bulgarian's don't get the same treatment (even though here in Cyprus without trying to stereotype they tend to abuse the system)

As with 90% of discrimination issues, it's about socio-economic status. A stereotypical Italian is comparatively "rich", stereotypical Romanians and Bulgarians are "poor".