The end of holiday bill shock: Using your mobile phone in the EU will cost no more than at home as roaming fees are scrapped
- Phone users on contract will be able to use their monthly allowance abroad
- Cost of calls, texts and data in the EU will drop in 2016 and disappear in 2017
- Move will boost businesses offering services to people travelling abroad
- Roaming will still apply outside the EU
Britons travelling abroad in the EU will no longer face extra charges to use their mobile phones, following a ground-breaking deal announced today.
All mobile phone users throughout the EU will be able to make calls, send text messages and go online wherever they are without facing extra charges.
Anyone on a phone contract with a monthly allowance for texts, minutes or data will be able to use their plan even while they are travelling.
It means Britons will be able to phone friends and family while travelling, send pictures and update their social media without paying more than they would at home.
Relax: Making phone calls on holiday in the EU will cost the same as making calls in the UK
The new rules, due to come into force in June 2017, will also put an end to 'bill shock' suffered for years by unsuspecting mobile phone users who upload pictures or download content abroad without realising the scale of the roaming fees they will be landed with when they get home.
The changes follow months of negotiations by the European Commission, which has been thrashing out a Digital Single Market deal with countries and phone providers.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: 'This deal is fantastic news for British consumers and shows that the UK, working with its partners, can deliver real change in Europe, bringing significant benefits for working people.
'It also shows that the EU can show the flexibility and creativity to deliver changes that benefit people in this country and across Europe.'
Although phone users will have to wait until June 2017 for free roaming to kick in, charges will already become cheaper from April next year.
An end to bill shock: Holidaymakers in the EU will pay no more for using their phones while they're away
From this time, operators will only be able to charge a small additional amount to phone charges for those travelling out of their home country.
These prices are an extra 3p per minute for phone calls, 1p per text message sent and 3p per MB of data, excluding VAT.
At the moment, millions of mobile phone users switch off their handsets when they travel abroad to avoid risking eye-watering bills when they get home.
The European Commission believes that if charges are no higher than at home, travellers will not be afraid to use their phones abroad, which will open up opportunities for online businesses and start-ups offers services to consumers when they travel.
Andrus Ansip, the European Commission's vice-president for the Digital Single Market, said: 'Europeans have been calling and waiting for the end of roaming charges as well as for net neutrality rules. They have been heard.
'We still have a lot of work ahead of us to create a Digital Single Market. Our plans to make it happen were fully endorsed by heads of state and government last week, and we should move faster than ever on this.'
Gunther H Oettinger, commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, added: 'I welcome today's crucial agreement to finally end roaming charges and establish pragmatic net neutrality rules throughout the EU.
'Both are essential for consumers and businesses in today's European digital economy and society.
'We will build on these important foundations in our forthcoming review of the EU's telecoms legislation.'
European negotiators have also reached an agreement on so-called net neutrality rules, which will ban internet providers from blocking or slowing down access to particular content, services or applications.
At the moment, providers can treat different websites differently, depending on the fee they pay.
For example, access to a start-up website could be slowed down to make way for bigger companies.
From June 2017, all internet traffic will be treated equally, subject to strict and clearly identified public-interest exceptions such as network security or combating child pornography.
Following today's agreement, the rules will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council.
The new rules will only apply within the EU - roaming charges in other countries often remain very high - sometimes up to £8 per MB of data used.
Most watched Money videos
- The new Volkswagen Passat - a long range PHEV that's only available as an estate
- Paul McCartney's psychedelic Wings 1972 double-decker tour bus
- MG unveils new MG3 - Britain's cheapest full-hybrid car
- German car giant BMW has released the X2 and it has gone electric!
- Mini unveil an electrified version of their popular Countryman
- Iconic Dodge Charger goes electric as company unveils its Daytona
- BMW's Vision Neue Klasse X unveils its sports activity vehicle future
- How to invest for income and growth: SAINTS' James Dow
- How to invest to beat tax raids and make more of your money
- BMW meets Swarovski and releases BMW i7 Crystal Headlights Iconic Glow
- 'Now even better': Nissan Qashqai gets a facelift for 2024 version
- Skoda reveals Skoda Epiq as part of an all-electric car portfolio
- Mercedes G-Wagen - famed for its military background and...
- MARKET REPORT: Reckitt cleans up but Footsie gives up gains
- New Tesla Model 3 Performance has arrived: Here's when...
- Tory windfall tax war 'is killing off North Sea oil'......
- Investors to vote on plans to double London Stock...
- Car insurers to make pay monthly cheaper and fairer after...
- BUSINESS LIVE: Barclays profits slip; Sainsbury's ups...
- Is there a risk that inflation falls below 2% and then...
- Fresh concerns for luxury market as Gucci owner Kering...
- Mini's electric ace up its sleeve: New Aceman EV has a...
- 'It's unprecedented': Amazon hits back at CMA focus on...
- Meta announces it is to plough billions into artificial...
- Schroders boss Peter Harrison to retire in 2025 after...
- Windfall tax is driving UK oil and gas producers to...
- Warpaint London shares continue meteoric rise as profits...
- Lloyds cheers green shoots in housing market - but takes...
- Reckitt Benckiser cleans house as Dettol-maker's sales soar
- 'We're too complex': PZ Cussons to offload St Tropez...