European Union to remove roaming fees starting July 2014

Next summer will be a good time to wander through Europe.

Per The Telegraph, for anyone traveling to Europe next year, as of next July 2014, you’ll pay the same rate for calls and data when travelling within Europe as you do at home.

Consumers will next year be able to use their mobile phones across the European Union for the same price as at home, it is planned, after officials voted to fast-track major reforms of telecoms regulation.

Roaming fees for voice calls, texts and internet access will effectively be completely scrapped under the proposals, which are part of a broader effort to create a single European telecoms market.

Roaming fees can often be extortionate, with call fees of over £1 (US$1.56) per minute, and data charges which can easily rack up hundreds of pounds for quite ordinary usage. The banning of roaming fees applies only for European customers: customers from the USA and other countries will still pay roaming charges when visiting Europe.

The EU estimates that carriers will initially see a 2 percent drop in revenue, but expect it to benefit them in the longer term by encouraging greater use of mobiles while traveling and by making it possible for networks to attract customers across borders.