Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

European roaming charges will end in 2014

wired.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 105 posts

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#61

Post by 4ad »

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…

You need a passport (or other form of government issued-ID), you don't need a visa.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#62

Post by david_p »

4ad wrote: post #61
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…

You need a passport (or other form of government issued-ID), you don't need a visa.

Any valid ID (free) vs. a Passport (86 euros, in France) makes a huge difference to many people I believe !

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#63

Post by alemhnan »

belorn wrote: post #38

This will most likely not happen. European Parliament member Christian Engström has written on the subject that this decision is just one in a row of promised proposals to lower/get rid of roaming charges. He points out that each time an actual proposal has been created, it has immediately been dropped by the same group. The current proposal is intended to be created just at the time the current European Commission's…

I've actually a different experience so far. For example in 2009 they flattened the price of sms [http://www.telecoms.com/10693/europe-cuts-costs-of-sms-data-...].

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#64

Post by ardit33 »

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.

I am from Albania (not part of EU, but trying to get in), and travel to Schengen treaty countries is easy. Just show with your passport and no visa is needed. Working and long term stay is another matter.

For the UK, and some countries that are not part of the accord, I do need to have a visa, and it is PITA. It usually involved going to embassy, paying some fee, providing documents, convincing the consular you are not doing anything shady, or going to overstay, or whatever. Not fun, especially if you are just trying to do a few days short visit.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#65

Post by raverbashing »

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…

Yes

I'm an UE citizen, and nowadays moving countries is almost like moving cities (Schengen Agreement is still a little bit different than the UE).

Except for the language, of course!

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#66

Post by 4ad »

david_p wrote: post #62
4ad wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need a passport (or other form of government issued-ID), you don't need a visa.

Any valid ID (free) vs. a Passport (86 euros, in France) makes a huge difference to many people I believe !

In Romania IDs are not free either :-). If you come from an underdeveloped country (precisely where the cost of a passport can pose a problem) you'll soon find out that many EU countries won't let you in only with a national ID; they want a passport. For Romanian/Bulgarian/etc citizens roaming through Europe without a passport is not a very smart move, even if you go to countries that accept only the ID.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#67

Post by Pxtl »

I'm going to go ahead and assume that, once this is complete, you will be able to go to one country and buy a phone, then use it to make a call from a second country into a third... and probably still pay less than the average Canadian local cellphone call.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#69

Post by TillE »

4ad wrote: post #61
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…

You need a passport (or other form of government issued-ID), you don't need a visa.

You may technically be required to carry an ID, but at least on the train nobody's checking it.

Re: European roaming charges will end in 2014

#70

Post by pbiggar »

Unrelated, but it's interesting how they describe the European Commission as being "a group of 27 politicians who represent the best interests of Europe as a whole, rather than individual countries". I normally hear them described as "a group of unelected bureaucrats". I guess perspective changes when they're doing a good thing, instead of being complained about.
Post reply on HN