Reduced mobile phone costs and obligatory financial limit for data transmission when travelling in the EU

As of 1 July, when travelling in the EU, it will be less expensive to make and receive mobile calls. The new prices are capped at:

• €0.4797 (incl. VAT) per minute for a roaming call (formerly €0.5246)
• €0.1845 (incl. VAT) per minute for receiving a roaming call (formerly €0.2318 )
  

Furthermore, as of 1 July 2010, there will be no charge for receiving voice mail messages in the EU. Listening to voice mail messages remains subject to a fee.

Obligatory financial limit for international data transmission services

As of 1 July, telecom operators are required to provide their customers a financial limit for data transmission services when travelling in another EU Member State. The new practice protects consumers from bill shocks.

Telecom operators may offer their customers a wider range of financial limits, but one of these limits must be close to EUR 62 (ca. EUR 50 + VAT) a month. Once the agreed financial limit approaches, telecom operators must send their customers an advance notification by an SMS, an e-mail, or a pop-up window on the computer. If the customer wants to discontinue using the data transmission service once the financial limit is reached, the telecom operator must disconnect the service. The advance notification must also inform the customer of the procedure to be followed if he or she wishes to continue to use the data transmission service.

Suggestive examples of mobile data transmission service tariffs in the EU:

• Downloading an e-mail without an attachment (1-20 kb) costs roughly €0.10-0.75 (incl. VAT).
• Downloading a website on the internet (300 kb–3 Mb) costs roughly €1.00–7.50 (incl. VAT)
  

Price cap also for text messages when travelling in the EU

The price cap for a text message sent whilst abroad in the EU is EUR 0.1342 (incl. VAT). There is no charge for receiving text messages from other EU countries whilst abroad.

The price cap concerns automatically customers who have not opted for any other offer package provided by the operator.

More information on the price cap in the EU on FICORA's website at: http://www.viestintavirasto.fi/en/index/puhelin/matkapuhelimenkayttoulkomailla/eu-alueenhintakatto.html

Your telecom service provider will also provide you with more information on the use of mobile phone or roaming charges when abroad.

Further information:

Mari Österberg, Legal Counsel, tel. +358 9 6966 306, +358 40 524 5368