* Better budgeting on deck for European cell users
Roaming users in Europe are now getting some relief from formerly incalculable and often shocking end-of-the-month cell phone bills.
The new Eurotariff roaming regulation sets ceilings on fees charged for phone calls made and received by customers in the European Union – price caps that will decrease slightly over the next three years. As of July 30, all roaming customers in the European Union were to have been given the opportunity to begin using the Eurotariff plan, which effectively caps the cost of a call at about 66 cents per minute and the cost of receiving a call at about 33 cents.
Note: A European Commission proposal earlier this year capped prices at 81 cents per minute to make a call and at 40 cents to receive one, so users have come out ahead of the game.
These prices may not seem cheap to those of us here in the U.S. However, at least they are predictable and, thus, budgetable.
Unpredictable roaming charges have long been a source of consternation for those crossing European borders, because the charges have been inconsistent and high. Roaming charges were as high as $2 a minute, not including any long-distance charges.
Subscribers who take the passive route and don’t contact their cellular carrier about getting on the Eurotariff are supposed to automatically be charged the new rates starting in September. If they don’t receive those rates, they can take their operator to court. Reportedly, the EC will investigate to make sure that operators are complying with the Eurotariff and will offer information about defectors on a Web site so that users can take action.
