3 ms·

The phone companies had a point about roaming charges: the EU is a single customs market, not a flat-price market. It is entirely legal for a company to charge

The phone companies had a point about roaming charges: the EU is a single customs market, not a flat-price market. It is entirely legal for a company to charge different prices in Germany and Greece, except if they're a phone operator. How is that fair?

jarym 6y ago
When I travel from one town to another I don't pay different amounts for my phone calls or data. It should not be any different crossing a border within the EU. It is absolutely fair, mobile operators were cross-charging ridiculous amounts to serve each others customers just so they could each milk the others customers. This type of price fixing was wrong and the EU put an end to it. As far as I can tell the telcos have survived, they're still making money and investing in 5G and the consumers are paying less. How is that not a win-win other than for shareholders of the biggest telcos?
avianlyric 6y ago
> It is entirely legal for a company to charge different prices in Germany and Greece, except if they're a phone operator. How is that fair? Except this isn’t true. The EU mobile roaming rules have the concept of a home country. If you spend too much time outside of it then the operator is allowed to charge roaming costs. So it not really possible for a customer to take out a contract in Greece and then only use it in France. The only exception to this rule exists for people living near borders. Where is quite likely they commute over that border, or their phone will randomly connect to towers on the other side of border. Given the most of the EU is part of the Schengen Area, and living and working in different countries is not only common, but encouraged. It makes sense that EU enacts laws to prevent citizens from being economically punished for exercising their rights.

3 ms·

The phone companies had a point about roaming charges: the EU is a single customs market, not a flat-price market. It is entirely legal for a company to charge

by dingaling 6y ago

jarym 6y ago
When I travel from one town to another I don't pay different amounts for my phone calls or data. It should not be any different crossing a border within the EU. It is absolutely fair, mobile operators were cross-charging ridiculous amounts to serve each others customers just so they could each milk the others customers. This type of price fixing was wrong and the EU put an end to it. As far as I can tell the telcos have survived, they're still making money and investing in 5G and the consumers are paying less. How is that not a win-win other than for shareholders of the biggest telcos?
avianlyric 6y ago
> It is entirely legal for a company to charge different prices in Germany and Greece, except if they're a phone operator. How is that fair? Except this isn’t true. The EU mobile roaming rules have the concept of a home country. If you spend too much time outside of it then the operator is allowed to charge roaming costs. So it not really possible for a customer to take out a contract in Greece and then only use it in France. The only exception to this rule exists for people living near borders. Where is quite likely they commute over that border, or their phone will randomly connect to towers on the other side of border. Given the most of the EU is part of the Schengen Area, and living and working in different countries is not only common, but encouraged. It makes sense that EU enacts laws to prevent citizens from being economically punished for exercising their rights.