A report by the European Commission has found that the EU-wide abolition of roaming charges has led to a rise in mobile calls and data usage by Europeans on holiday.
The commission’s interim report on the effects of the abolition of roaming charges, which came into effect in June 2017, showed the number of phone calls made by EU citizens travelling between Member States had doubled since the charges were in effect. In the same period, travellers’ use of mobile data increased fivefold.
Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: “One and a half years ago, roaming charges ended when travelling in the EU. Together with other digital rights, such as the end of unjustified geoblocking and the portability of content, the abolition of roaming charges is a good example to demonstrate how the EU can deliver for the benefits of its citizens in their daily life. We also need to continue making Europeans aware of their digital rights so that they can really make the most of the new possibilities.”
The abolition of roaming charges, introduced as part of the EU’s Digital Single Market initiative, allows travellers throughout the EU to pay the same as they would at home for calls and data. The measure has led to an increase in uptake of mobile broadband and 4G coverage, with EU-wide 4G coverage at 90.5 per cent by the end of 2017 compared to 85.6 per cent at the end of 2016.
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, said: “Today we can see the tangible benefits following the abolition of roaming charges in the EU. The good news is that Europe is now a reality for people using their mobile phones freely when travelling abroad. I am grateful to operators who manage to turn demands for more data and voice calls into new opportunities.”
The European Commission will publish a full, comprehensive report into the results of the abolition of roaming charges in December 2019.
