Skip To Content

    It Won't Cost You Extra To Use Your Mobile Phone In Europe From 2015

    You won't be charged anything extra to call, text or use data in the EU from next year. But networks say they may have to increase domestic prices as a result.

    Mobile phone roaming charges are set to be banned across the European Union from December 2015.

    This means that unless you're planning a trip to Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or the Balkans you won't need to worry about a high phone bill on your return from a European holiday.

    Mobile phone networks aren't happy at the prospect of losing a major revenue stream. They say they will have to put up domestic mobile phone prices as a result, a stance backed by anti-EU politicians.

    MEPs have ordered the abolition of roaming charges. Non-travellers must now subsidise travellers. Good news for MEPs, bad news for the poor.

    And it's still technically possible for individual governments to veto these new rules before they're introduced. But this is unlikely.

    Ryan Heath, a spokesman for EU Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes, told BuzzFeed that while national governments must give their approval to the ban on roaming charges this is "very very likely" to happen in September or October.

    He said that British Prime Minister David Cameron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Italy's Matteo Renzi have already given their backing to the proposals.

    "There is a chance member states will reject or amend other parts of the [telecoms legislation], but roaming and net neutrality are the parts of package with most national government support. So we would be shocked if the roaming part was amended."

    So prepare for your friends to bombard you with endless streams of holiday pictures from December 2015 onwards.