LOWER ROAMING CHARGES IN THE EU (AT LAST)

New rules on maximum roaming charges for mobile users in the EU came into effect as of 1st July. The new rules affect all 28 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway  and will ensure that EU users (excludingVAT)  won't pay more than €0.24 per minute for making outside calls, €0.07 for receiving calls, €0.08 for sending texts and €0.45 to use the Internet  while travelling abroad.
 

The new price cap on downloading data means looking at maps, checking emails and sending pictures while travelling in EEA countries will be 36% cheaper from today, and 91% cheaper compared with 2007's prices.

New roaming regulations also mean charges for making a phone call will drop by at least 17% per minute while receiving a call will drop by about 12% a minute. The cost of a text message will fall by 11%.

Mobile roaming costs in the EEA will be reduced further from July 2014 and drop even further to just €0.19 per minute for phone calls and to €0.20 for data, as roaming charges are scrapped altogether.
 

EU data compiled for Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes show that the average cost (cents)per minute for national mobile calls to be the following:

1. Netherlands €14.7
2. Luxembourg € 14.6
3. Belgium € 13.7
4. Malta €13.3
5. Spain € 13.3
6. France € 12.7
7. Slovenia € 10.6
8. Czech Republic € 10.4
9. Ireland € 10.2
10. United Kingdom € 9.7
11. Denmark € 9.1
12. Slovakia € 9.1
13. Germany € 8.8
14. Sweden € 8.2
15. Austria € 7.9
16. Portugal € 7.6
17. Cyprus € 7.6
18. Italy € 6.9
19. Greece € 6.7
20. Finland € 6.1
21. Estonia € 6.0
22. Hungary € 6.0
23. Poland € 4.6
24. Bulgaria € 4.4
25. Latvia € 3.5
26. Romania € 2.2
27. Lithuania € 1.9