Coming back from their holidays, many consumers were faced with a very high bill from their mo-bile service provider. The reason for this is using a mobile phone abroad and the associated roam-ing costs. 2017 shall see the end of this at last. According to the plans of the EU, using a mobile phone within the EU shall become significantly less expensive from then onwards.

The European Parliament has taken the decision that roaming costs within the EU have to be abolished by June 2017. During a transition period, which begins in April 2016, the maximum amount, which service providers will be able to charge, must not exceed a quarter of the current costs.

However, the roaming agreement depends on the European Commission initiating a reform of the wholesale market im May 2016. Only if this reform has been completed by summer 2017, the roaming costs will fall. The plan is that the European Commission presents a reform proposal in June 2016 at the latest and that it will be adopted within a year.

At first glance, consumers will have to pay less for using a mobile phone abroad. However, this regulation will only affect calls within the EU Member States. Calls, which are made outside the community of states, will not be covered.

However, until this regulation is enforced, mobile service providers will have enough time to increase basic charges or to introduce new additional charges to compensate for lost revenue. After all, the branch has shown great potential for creativity in the past, when it came to implementing such price increases. This means that over the coming months consumer protection institutions have to keep a close eye on the development in this sector. To make sure that consumers will indeed notice beneficial effects in this sector and that a new, a first glance positive new regulation, will not entail any financial disadvantages for end customers.