Data roaming costs when using a mobile phone within the EU are to be banned from 2017.
The European Parliament has approved plans to axe charges applied by mobile operators for calls, texts and internet browsing when using a phone in another EU country.
The new legislation will come into force on June 15, 2017 and means mobile phone users within the EU will be charged the same as they would in their home country.
However, an interim cap cutting data roaming charges by 75 per cent will be implemented on April 30 next year.
From that date, mobile operators will not be able to charge more than €0.05 (3.5p) extra per minute for calls; €0.02 (1.5p) extra per SMS sent; €0.05 extra per megabyte of data used.
Then, on June 15, 2017 the full ban will come into force.
Graham Smith
