Price cap in the EU
Price cap for mobile calls while travelling in the EU
The EU roaming rules have reduced the prices for the use of Finnish mobile phones in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The mutually agreed price caps for roaming calls have been introduced, as well as for roaming text messages within the EU.
There are price caps for personal and business roaming call prices, and the wholesale prices network operators charge one another.
In the EU, the maximum price cap i.e. Eurotariff is
- EUR 0.4797 per minute for calls made from abroad;
- EUR 0.1845 per minute for calls received whilst abroad.
In 2011, the price cap will continue to go down to EUR 0.4305 and EUR 0.1353 per minute. The prices include value added tax.
The charges are based on seconds excluding calls made which are subject to a connection fee for a maximum of 30 seconds.
Price cap for text messages while travelling in the EU
Both consumer and business prices, and the wholesale prices network operators charge one another will be affected by the text message price cap.
The price cap for a text message sent whilst abroad in the EU is EUR 0.1342. The price includes value added tax. There is no charge for receiving text messages from other EU countries whilst abroad.
The price cap i.e. Eurotariff concerns automatically customers who have not opted for any other offer package provided by the operator. As a roaming customer, you can request to be transferred to text messages that are subject to Eurotariff or give up on it any time you wish. The transfer must, however, be made within one working day. The operator can, however, delay the entry into force of such transfer by requiring a maximum of three month's period between the change.
Pricing of data services in the EU
With data services, you can use packet-switched data on your mobile phone or other mobile device while the mobile phone or mobile device is connected to the roaming network.
Telecom operators are free to set the prices for mobile data services they provide to their customers. The price cap set for the use of mobile data concerns exclusively the wholesale prices network operators charge one another. However, it is expected that customers will gradually pay less for the use of mobile data in the years to come. The wholesale level between operators in different countries is now 0.80 euro and in 2011 it will be only EUR 0.50.
Your possibilities to protect yourself from giant bills that come as a surprise and monitor your consumption without additional costs were improved in March 2010. Home operators must provide their customers with a service that warn of the agreed limit for the use of data, when, for example, the limit of 50 euros (+VAT) approaches, and enables the disconnection of the data service. Data service means that you can download e-mail, websites, photos or movies to your mobile phone or other mobile device. The operator cannot charge the amount exceeding the limit, unless the customer wants to continue the use of the service. The above-mentioned limit will enter into force automatically as of 1 July 2010, unless the customer and the home operator agree otherwise.
Getting information on roaming service prices
When you travel to a foreign roaming area, your home operator informs you of the prices of calls and text messages by sending automatic price notices.
The price notices include basic price information on
- making calls within the country you visit and from the country you visit to your homeland;
- receiving phone calls;
- sending text messages in the EU.
In addition, the notice has a free number for additional inquiries and a reminder of the free emergency number 112.
Your home operator must inform of the basic price information on data services once you connect to the data service of the roaming. You will receive a text message about the price information on your mobile phone or other mobile device, e-mail or a pop-up window on your computer.
Reception of voice mail
As of 1 July 2010, it will be free to receive voice mail in the EU. Listening to voice mail remains subject to a fee.
