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posted by mattie_p on Tuesday February 18 2014, @09:41PM   Printer-friendly
from the just-stay-home dept.

girlwhowaspluggedout writes:

"The European Commission reports that, fearing high roaming charges, many EU citizens forgo the use of their mobile phones outside their home country. According to a survey done by the Commission (pdf), when travelling to another EU country, 90% of all EU citizens limit their e-mail use, 47% do not use their mobile internet connection, 33% never place calls, 25% do not text, and a staggering 28% simply turn off their mobile phones.

Roaming charges, the Commission suggests, are hurting the fledgling EU app sector. In trying to avoid paying data premiums, travelers limit their use of data-heavy apps, like travel guides, maps, and photo applications. Frequent travelers are even more likely to turn-off their phones, perhaps due to being better informed about the costs of data roaming.

The Commission reports that data roaming use across the EU has increased by 1500% since the introduction of price caps in 2008. It suggests that by eliminating all roaming charges, mobile providers will gain a further 300 million customers. These findings give further support to regulations proposed by the Commission that will create a single mobile phone market throughout the EU, enabling all customers to enjoy domestic rates when travelling within the EU."

 
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  • (Score: 2) by frojack on Saturday February 22 2014, @12:33AM

    by frojack (1554) on Saturday February 22 2014, @12:33AM (#4684)

    I'm pretty sure we are plowing old ground here.

    Lets not talks about roaming payments from one carrier to another for roaming, Ok?
    We both know its happening, and has to continue.

    However that does not mean the USER should have to pay these.

    When I roam off of AT&T, (say to T-Mobile) I impose no burden on AT&T. I use no bandwidth, I use no minutes, I use no connections to their towers. I COST AT&T nothing.

    Yet I pay them the same.

    So that percentage of my bill, for the time that I am off of AT&T and roaming onto T-Mobile, should just be transferred by AT&T to T-Mobile.

    Now don't tell me this can't happen, or that it can't be that simple. It can happen, and I am on such a plan. I have a nation wide business plan right now from AT&T which is just pennies more than a paid roaming plan. Not enough more to cover even a few roaming calls. I can and have spent a week on T-Mobile and Bell South towers, taking and making calls with zero difference in my bill.

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