EU Roaming Charges to be Abolished

[63johnw]

Good news for customers ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34646434

[kids]

I wonder what other charges will increase to compensate for the loss of income?

[63johnw]

That could be the downside for customers @kids

[kp99]

Vodafone Spain are running an advertising campaign offering contracts without roaming charges in the EU and USA. I guess this is the start. Surprised Spain is ahead of the UK though. Any plans to make this available in the UK???

[willieaames]

That reminds me of a person who lived fairly close to the russian border (about 50km) and were suddenly charged with a 15000€ bill.LOL.

[63johnw]

@kp99 you won't get any comments on here from Vodafone until an official announcement has been made.

[kp99]

Trying to get any comments from Vodafone is a joke anyway. If your question does not fit into a standard box you get no response... and is the Chat function ever working???

[jeffkinn]

Trying to get an offhand comment on a forum about pricing which is very commercially sensitive is bound to fail.

and yes live chat works - used it many times.

[lissacoffey]

This should have happened years ago - operators have got away with milking money from helpless customers with scandalous charges for more than two decades.What is "roaming" anyway? It just means an artificial charge to use your mobile phone while outside the UK. The industry managed to invent a new income stream before anyone could stop them. And they made it stick by inventing a one-word name for it which nobody questioned. It reminds me of "subject to status" = "we don't have to sell it to you if we don't want to". I suppose if Scotland leaves the UK roaming charges could be introduced between Scotland and the rump UK?Well, good for the roaming charges. But this meant that net neutrality is now compromised. :womansurprised:

[jeffkinn]

As customers I'm sure we all agree with you. I'm pretty sure that phone networks were making plans in case the Scottish independent vote went the other way. And the same situaiton exists in Ireland between the north and south.

From a business persepctive I believe there are extra costs involved in roaming and there is a justification for passing these on to the consumer.