Romanians travelling in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries will pay for telephone calls, messages and SMS at national tariffs as of June 15, announced on Monday the National Authority for Administration and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM).
“As of June 15, 2017 the calls, SMSs and roaming data in the EU and in the European Economic Area will be considered as included national minutes. After consuming this level, the tariffs will be at the national level, outside of our network, within reasonable limits. In this way it is ensured the shift to ‘Roam like at home’, the European tariff system meant to protect the users against huge roaming charges in the EU countries, as well as in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein,” an ANCOM release reads.
The new conditions apply automatically to all tariff plans with the included roaming service, purchased before June 15, 2017 and later. In order to benefit from ‘Roam like at home’, the current customers do not need to purchase a new tariff plan or renew their subscription.
In contrast, customers who choose an alternative roaming tariff plan in the EU/EEA will not benefit from these services. However, customers who have made such a choice have the right to return to ‘Roam like at home’ with no extra costs.
ANCOM states that suppliers who are unable to commercially provide ‘Roam like at home’ may apply for and may be authorized by the national regulatory authority, following an analysis, to charge users a surcharge in addition to the national rates, as of the first minute/SMS/MB consumed in roaming in the EU/EEA.
According to the cited source, the conditions for the reasonable use of roaming services in the EU/EEA should be described in detail in the contracts between suppliers and customers.