Have you canceled roaming in Europe? Single tariffs for roaming in Europe

Choosing a mobile operator for traveling to Europe is a responsible business. The final cost of communication services, which accumulates during the trip, can become a stumbling block for an inexperienced tourist. Before giving preference to a particular mobile network, it is worth comparing their price lists and deciding which of the services you really need while traveling. Some operators offer only the Internet at competitive prices, other calls and SMS, others - all at once.

Going on vacation abroad, people are considering three options for SIM cards to keep in touch with family and friends. The first is a native SIM card, the second is purchased upon arrival at the destination (that is, local), the third is a tourist SIM card, ordered in advance via the Internet. About the degree of convenience and the benefits of each option are detailed below.

Should you give preference to native mobile operators?

Using your own SIM card abroad is not profitable. The price for calls in euro-roaming can be on average 60 rubles per minute. Internet traffic and SMS messages are also golden. Operators Megafon, MTS and Beeline provide a good quality of communication, but the costs for it in roaming are huge.

The mobile operator Megafon, for example, offers Internet subscribers in Europe at a price of 600 rubles a day, and the cost of calls reaches 129 rubles per minute. There is, however, an opportunity to save money in euro-roaming by connecting additional services, such as the "Whole World" service, but it has a daily subscription fee.

Another nuance, not in favor of native mobile operators - in some foreign countries, billing is made with a delay of up to 30 days (Megafon also has this). This makes the tourist think seriously: there is no time to keep track of the number of minutes and megabytes spent on a trip, but go into a decent minus I don't feel like it upon returning home. If a person prefers to use the services of his native mobile operator everywhere, he should be ready to significantly lighten his wallet.

Is it worth buying local SIM cards in Europe?

Buying local SIM cards in European countries while traveling is an excellent option, but only if a person is in one state for a long period of time or rests there regularly. Communication in this case will be of much better quality, the prices for the Internet and calls within the country will be lower, and problems with activating and installing certain options will disappear altogether.

This option also has disadvantages. For example, the prices for calls home, for the owners of such SIM cards, unfortunately, will remain high, and the balances may simply burn out if the card is inactive for a long time.

The best travel SIM cards for travel

Travel SIM cards are ideal for use abroad. They are provided by mobile operators in Europe. There are options for both lovers of high-quality Internet and for those who value only calls and SMS messages. Among the tourist SIM cards stand out in particular: Orange, Dreamsim, GlobalSim, Vodafone, Goodline and Simtravel. They are more reliable among other options and provide all the most necessary services at more favorable prices.

"Dreamsim"

It is a universal international travel SIM card. It is suitable for those who like to travel around the world. Dreamsim has many advantages over other Travel SIM:

• operates in 229 countries;
• the number remains the same when moving to another country;
• prices for Internet and calls are the same as those of local mobile operators;
• calls to Russia at reasonable prices.

In the package of services includes a free top-up and spend control app. The subscriber pays only for what he used in essence, so after the end of the trip there will be no extra megabytes of Internet traffic and units.

The cost of 1 minute of conversation varies from 0.07 to 0.4 euros, and Internet traffic costs 0.01 euros per 1 megabyte. And also subscribers do not pay for incoming calls.

Vodafone

For those tourists who prefer to communicate only via the Internet, the Internet Passport tariff plan from the Italian operator Vodafone is suitable. It provides the subscriber with a large amount of Internet traffic at an affordable price. Benefits of the tariff plan:

For those who want to travel abroad, use not only the Internet, but also calls and SMS messages, the European operator Vodafone offers the Smart Pasport tariff plan. It differs from the previous one in that it costs a tourist only 3 euros per day. For this price, subscribers receive 200 megabytes of 3G or 4G quality Internet traffic, 60 minutes of calls and 60 SMS. It is not recommended to use this tariff plan for Internet distribution over Wi-fi. By the way, SIM cards of the operator Vodafone are valid for 11 months after the last top-up and are valid not only in Europe, but also in the USA and Turkey.

Orange SIM card with Go Europe tariff plan

This is one of the most economical travel options provided by the Spanish mobile operator Orange. Such a SIM card can be taken with them on a trip by those people who do not want to waste money. Funds are debited from the balance only for the actual use of the services provided. Benefits:

• the Internet package costs 1 euro per hundred megabytes of traffic;
• go Europe tariff is active in 40 European countries;
• incoming calls are always free;
• outgoing calls cost € 0.08 per minute.

In Spain, communication services for Orange SIM card users are even cheaper. Such a "candy" costs 40 euros, and upon purchase, 20 euros is added to the balance. In order for the card to work constantly, it must be topped up once a year for 5 euros. You can order the card online.

GlobalSim

Another one of the most popular and profitable travel SIM cards from the Estonian mobile operator Top Connect LLP. Today this operator has more than 5 million subscribers around the world. Such popularity is not without reason, all thanks to the following points:

You can buy a SIM card both in the CIS countries and via the Internet. The price for it will be 750 rubles. Top up balance can be done through terminals, banks, internet, cash desks and in other ways.

Goodline and Simtravel

Also great options for traveling in Europe. They are represented by the same Estonian provider as GlobalSim, only under different names. In this regard, the offered communication services and tariffs are identical. It makes no sense to dwell on a detailed description of these options, the only thing that should be noted is that those tourists who prefer to communicate via the Internet are better off choosing Orange or Vodafone operators.

When choosing a suitable tariff for traveling abroad, a tourist faces a number of difficulties, but they can be avoided if you answer all important questions and clearly define what you need. Before placing an order, you should decide:

• How many countries are planned to travel in the near future.
• Are you going to explore European countries or do not exclude visiting the USA, Asian countries, Israel and other more distant destinations.
• What services do you plan to use (voice for making calls, the Internet, or it is important for you to have both).
• What is the purpose of the trip: working visit, training or tourism.
• How long will the stay in the country.
• Is it important for you on a trip to have the Internet distribution.

Today, a number of interesting and profitable offers from Orange, Vodafone, as well as GlobalSim, Ortel Mobile, THREE have appeared on the cellular services market, which we will discuss in more detail in our review. After all, each of the offers has its own advantages, and most importantly - it will help to save on expensive roaming abroad.

Orange - renewed Mundo tariff for European countries, instead of Go Europe tariff

Orange SIM card with the new Mundo tariff offer for Europe is a good option for those tourists who need stable, high-speed Internet during their trip. The quality of the traffic provided allows you to immediately find the data you need on the Web, communicate on social networks, use modern messengers for communication, send work letters by mail, etc. In addition, after changes in tariff plans, Orange's offer has become even more profitable. Now the subscriber can purchase more traffic at the best price:

• Mundo Esencial - 3 GB for 7 €
• Mundo Plus - 7 GB for 10 €
• Mundo Total - 10 GB for 15 €

In this case, the term of use of any of the packages is 4 weeks. At the moment, there is a profitable promotion - by connecting before 03/30/2019, the subscriber will receive an increased package. That is, by ordering Mundo Plus and paying 10 euros, the user will receive 7 GB for 28 days for the same money. All packages are reconnected. It is possible to distribute the Internet, therefore, by purchasing one SIM card, the subscriber will be able to open access to the Network for an unlimited number of devices.

With the Mundo tariff, you can travel around all European countries, the coverage area is 41 countries. Choosing Orange, a tourist will not have to worry that he runs out of Internet or calls in the host country will be too expensive. The operator offers:

• Incoming calls within the EU and Spain are free. Calls from RF numbers are also accepted without payment.
• Outgoing calls in Spain are 7 cents per minute to landline and 29 cents to mobile.
• Outgoing calls in Europe - 8 cents per minute.
• SMS to Russian numbers - 73 cents.

Also, the cost of connection when making outgoing calls is removed - 30 cents.

If you frequently use the Internet while traveling abroad, Mundo is a good choice.

There is also the Everywhere option - Mobile Internet at a price of 7 euros for every 100 MB of traffic. Coverage: Switzerland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Chile, Morocco, China and Japan.

Favorable rates from the mobile operator Vodafone

The SIM card from the Vodafone operator is one of the most popular among travelers, because with it you can freely communicate, use the inexpensive Internet. This is the best option for business trips in which you need to negotiate in the host country and often call home. By activating one of the tariffs, the subscriber will be able not only to use the Internet in Europe and other countries included in the coverage area, but also to make calls to different countries, including Russia, without spending much of his budget. Let's tell a little more about all the operator's offers.

• The "Vodafone 19" tariff is connected by default, the subscriber can switch to another plan if he wishes. Under the terms of Vodafone, 19 people will be able to receive EU members free of charge. A minute of outgoing call is 20 cents and 20 cents is the cost of connection. This offer will also help to solve all business issues, even if the tourist is abroad. You can use 1 GB of Internet per day, the cost is 6 euros. It is also worth noting that a monthly fee of 49 cents is charged for using the tariff plan.
• The “Vodafone 25” tariff plan, like the “Vodafone 19”, works in the EU countries. By connecting this offer, the subscriber will be able to call Russia and other countries for 25 cents / minute or receive incoming calls for free. There is no monthly fee in this tariff, the cost of 1 GB is 6 euros.

Internet distribution in both the first tariff and the second is allowed.

In addition, Vodafone recently updated and launched additional very attractive options:

• Vodafone Start - cost 10 euros, term of work - 4 weeks, relevant in the EU countries. The subscriber is provided with 100 megabytes of 4G Internet. You can also send 100 SMS per month and talk for 400 minutes (outgoing), you do not need to pay for incoming calls.
• Vodafone Digital - package price for a month - 15 euros. By paying this amount, the subscriber will receive 2 GB of high-speed 4G Internet, as well as 400 minutes for calls in the EU countries and free incoming calls.
• By adding only three euros per month, you can get even more traffic with the option Vodafone Super... The cost of this package is 18 euros. After payment, the owner of the SIM card will receive 3 GB at maximum speed, as well as 400 minutes for making calls and unlimited incoming calls.
• The changes also affected another operator's tariff. Now Smart Passport relevant for travelers who plan to visit San Marino, Switzerland, Monaco, Turkey, Albania. The service package (includes both calls and mobile traffic) is provided for a day, the price is 3 euros. You cannot distribute the Internet. The daily service package includes: 30 minutes for calls (both incoming and outgoing to EU numbers) and 200 MB of mobile internet, as well as 60 messages to send.

With a Vodafone SIM card, you can easily make tourist and business trips to Europe, Albania, Switzerland, San Marino, Monaco or Turkey, without worrying about the cost of roaming services.

Ortel Mobile with new tariffs for Europe

The new tariffs from the Ortel Mobile operator are beneficial for those who often travel abroad on business trips, and they need not only to make calls, but also go online every day. The German company offers several inexpensive and, in our opinion, really profitable options for Europe:

• INTERNET FLAT 2 GB - for 9.90 €, as well as the ability to re-order the same amount of traffic for 6 €.
• INTERNET FLAT 3,5 GB - for 14.90 € is one of the most popular packages among subscribers. Additional traffic order - 9 euros.
• INTERNET FLAT 5.5 GB - for 19.90 €, if 5 GB of high-speed Internet is not enough for a month, the client can buy the same volume for 15 €.
• INTERNET FLAT 11 GB - for 29.99 €, at the end of the Internet, additional traffic can be ordered for 25 €.

All offered packages provide an opportunity to receive free incoming calls, call Russia at a price of 99 cents per minute of outgoing call. Each offer is valid for 4 weeks.

To make profitable calls from Germany to 50 other countries, as well as to use inexpensive traffic abroad, we advise you to activate the tariff from Ortel - Internet + WORLD calls. This tariff is suitable for frequent tourist trips and business trips abroad. On all WORLD tariffs, the On-Net Flat function is available, which provides unlimited calls in the Telephony network, but it is relevant only for Germany.

International operator THREE - available Internet in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and other countries

The offer from the THREE operator will be very relevant for those who travel a lot around the world not only for tourist visits, but also for work. Moreover, the geography of travel is not limited only to European countries. The SIM card is designed for an active Internet user, for whom the availability of voice services is not so important, but the amount of traffic worries.

If you need an Internet package with almost no restrictions (the volume is quite enough for conducting correspondence at work, watching short videos, communicating on social networks and through popular instant messengers and for many other user purposes), then choose the THREE SIM card. The cost of 12 GB of high-speed Internet per month is 48 euros. The SIM card is completely ready to work and functions not only in Europe, but also in Australia, Indonesia, the States, Hong Kong, Israel.

How to choose the best fare for a trip abroad: recommendations

Many travelers who travel abroad several times a year have a logical question - which SIM card will be the most profitable and optimal for travel? In this case, you need to focus more on which services are more important, which ones will be used more often and how many of them you need. For example, for very active web users who are not particularly interested in voice services, we would recommend a SIM card from the THREE mobile operator. Still, 12 GB of Internet per month is enough for daily surfing the Net.

For those tourists who need Internet in Europe, as well as calls to the EU countries and Spain are important, we recommend the Mundo tariff from the Orange operator.

If you need calls to Russia, inexpensive Internet in different countries of the world and a large coverage area (including exotic countries, as well as the USA), then GlobalSim is the best option.

Ortel Mobile offers are also great for communicating with relatives from the EU or Russia. The operator offers inexpensive internet packages and affordable calling rates.

Vodafone also pleases with affordable offers for Europe (1 GB of Internet with the possibility of distribution to other devices for 6 euros). Also, the prices for calls are loyal - from 20 to 25 cents per minute (only incoming calls are paid). The only exception is the Smart Passport tariff (traffic distribution is prohibited). However, by connecting this option, the tourist will be able to be in touch in Monaco, Turkey, Switzerland, San Marino and Albania.

But, of course, only you should make the choice, so study the tariffs in detail and buy a profitable SIM card, thanks to which you will always have the opportunity to find out useful information and call.

Many active travelers who often travel abroad were delighted with the good news about the cancellation of roaming in Europe. Of course, such innovations are good, but many myths have appeared around this issue, which we will try to dispel in our article.

Favorable rates for the Internet in Europe and other countries

Cheap internet abroad is still a very hot issue. Now we will tell you how to save on services when leaving for another country.

For traveling around Europe, the updated Mundo tariff from the mobile operator Orange, which is now valid not only in Spain, but also in other countries, is perfect. So, the company offers the following rates for the Internet:

• 1 GB - 7 €.
• 2 GB - 10 €.
• 3 GB - 15 €.

The validity of any of the above tariffs is 30 days.

• The sixth myth - now the Europeans will be able to use the Internet in the Eurozone without restrictions and call as many home as they like at the prices of the home region. This is not entirely true, there is still a limit. If the operator considers that the subscriber is unprofitable for the company (that is, he uses too much cellular services abroad), the company has the right not only to increase the tariffs for communication, but also to oblige the client to pay extra for the services used.

Now you know that abolishing roaming in Europe has its own pitfalls, pros and cons. Happy and successful travels! For more information on how to save money in roaming, see

The most frequent need for international roaming is short-term. An "ordinary" call or message to relatives about a successful landing or check-in at a hotel is unlikely to ruin, but on vacation and on vacation, many are faced with the high cost of calls, messages and mobile Internet. High-profile "roaming" cases immediately come to mind, like the one about the series "Interns" downloaded in roaming, for which the operator asked for more than 1 million rubles.

With your samovar

According to a survey by Tripsta, an online travel agency, more than half of Russians use the services of Russian mobile operators when traveling abroad, and only 12% of respondents, while abroad, prefer not to use their phone at all. What to do for those who need communication while traveling? Of course, there is no point in changing the tariff for a short period. Of course, local Wi-Fi, instant messengers and pre-downloaded city maps save part of the cost of communication. And yet, what solutions do our mobile operators offer in international roaming?

Operator / tariff / option	Subscription fee, rubles / day	Cost of incoming calls, rub / min.	Cost of outgoing calls, RUB / min.	SMS cost, rub.
Option "Zero without borders"	95	0 first 10 minutes, then 25	25 from the 2nd to the 5th minutes, the rest - at the roaming tariff	19
Free travel option	250	0 first 60 minutes, then 10	0 first 60 minutes, then 10	19
Outgoing calls from 11.9 rubles / min. via code * 137 *	0 RUB	at roaming tariff	11,9-79	19
Planet Zero service	60 (upon receipt of incoming)	0 first 20 minutes, then 10	20	7
Service "My planet"	0	25	25	9
Tariff "Around the World"	0	13	13	11
Worldwide option	39	0 for the first 30 minutes, then according to the roaming tariff	at roaming tariff	at roaming tariff
"Conversations without borders" service	5	5	15	6

Fares, options and services are valid in many, but not all, countries. Check the list of countries on the operator's website.

It is worth noting that Tele2, which recently entered the market of the Moscow region, even without additional services, is ready to compete with the “big three” operators, offering at basic tariffs to pay 15 rubles per minute for incoming / outgoing calls in roaming (in Europe and the CIS) and 6 rubles for SMS and MMS in the absence of any additional services.

The same basic incoming / outgoing for European countries and some other countries will cost 49 rubles from Megafon, 69 rubles from Beeline, and from 25 to 115 rubles from MTS. respectively. The basic cost of SMS for all three operators is the same - 19 rubles. Separate packages to reduce the cost of sending short messages in roaming are available from MTS and Megafon (195-700 rubles / month), but we dare to assume that most visitors to Compare.ru are successfully replaced SMS and MMS functions of online messengers (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, Skype, Facebook, etc.).

The cost of a minute of conversation for an outgoing call is the most advantageous for MTS with the "Free travel" option - 4.17 rubles, but taking into account the calls for 60 minutes a day. After all, 60 minutes will have to pay 250 rubles a day, whether you pronounce them or not. And indeed "Free Travel" for a limited number of European countries, plus Australia, Armenia, Israel and the UAE.

World sim card

For frequently traveling people, roaming of Russian operators, even with connected options, is not a cheap pleasure. Therefore, many of them buy international SIM cards that are valid in a large number of countries. Some tourists can be offered such a SIM card by travel agencies (Globalsim group of companies), and those flying through Moscow airports do not even have to think about purchasing it in advance - Simtravel Mobile SIM cards are sold in Hellobox machines, Euroset and Svyaznoy salons »At Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo, respectively. Also in "Euroset", "Svyaznoy" and some travel agencies you can buy an international SIM card of the company "Goodline".

Tariffs for international SIM cards do not differ much from each other, in contrast to the proposals of national operators. So, all the tariffs analyzed by Sravn.ru do not imply a monthly fee, in almost all cases you will not have to pay for incoming calls, and only 10 cents are charged for SMS. True, messages will have to be sent not in the usual way, but through the SIM menu and in Latin letters. The cheapest outgoing calls to landline numbers in the two capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - are offered by Goodline and Simtravel mobile. A minute will cost the subscriber 0.05 USD. Calls to Russian mobile numbers at the rates of the same companies will cost as early as 29 cents (22.13 rubles at the exchange rate of the Central Bank on February 2, 2016). For calls to mobile numbers, WellTell tariffs are more favorable - 20 cents per minute ("Contact" package) or 16.67-13.89 cents ("Worldwide" packages).

Company / tariff / option	SIM card cost	Cost of incoming calls, USD	Outgoing calls cost	SMS cost, USD
Planet-Good tariff	RUB 350	0 in 146 countries	0.05-0.49 USD / min.	-
Contact package	10 USD	0*	0.20 USD / min.	0.10 (in Europe)
Worldwide packages	10 USD	0*	25 USD / 14 days / 150 min. 45 USD / 30 days / 300 min. 125 USD / 90 days / 900 min. 175 USD / 30 days / unlimited	0.10 (in Europe)
SIM card "GlobalSim"	RUB 800 (account amount 10 USD)	0	0.39 USD / min. (for European countries)	0.10 (via sim menu)
Tariffs "Europe", "Worldwide" and "Worldwide Plus"	RUB 350	0	0.05-0.15 USD / min. to landline numbers of the Russian Federation; 0.29 USD / min. to mobile numbers of the Russian Federation	0.10 (via sim menu)

* - when attaching a Russian number - incoming are counted as outgoing due to the call back function.

All these tariffs do not include a subscription fee and are valid in many countries of the world, but in some conditions, conditions may differ from those indicated. For exceptions and tariff surcharges for different countries, check the operator's website.

Considering the current floating ruble exchange rate, the cost of calls and SMS for Russians at the rates of international SIM cards has risen significantly, since they are denominated in US dollars. But even at the current exchange rate, this option is more profitable for travelers than roaming tariffs of the “big three”. The same applies to mobile Internet - the packages of operators of international SIM cards are usually more profitable, however, a full-fledged mobile Internet in roaming will definitely be cheaper when buying a local SIM card.

I'm going to live in London

But what if you plan to move to another country for a long time, while the "home" number of a Russian operator is needed to receive calls from work partners, relatives, acquaintances, or colleagues, in whose address books it has been recorded for many years? Or you want to keep the number and continue using it after returning from a long-term "business trip". In this case, the subscriber is unlikely to use the mobile Internet, often make calls or send messages - for this he probably has a local SIM card. But since leaving the number in working order, it should be possible to receive incoming calls and messages.

A special tariff for such subscribers is offered only by Megafon (Around the World tariff with calls from 13 rubles per minute, without mandatory monthly or daily expenses, but only with a prepaid advance payment of 300 rubles). Other operators are limited to special services and options more suitable for short-term travel. But the international SIM cards mentioned above have the ability to bind a Russian number. That is, the Russian number remains active, people can continue to call it, but calls will go to an international SIM card. True, in this case they will be regarded as outgoing (not for a Russian, but for an international card), which means they will not be free. To put it simply: both the forwarding and the auto-callback function work at the same time.

These are the main options for saving on cellular communications abroad. Taking into account the possibility of transferring with your number to another operator, the functions of linking the Russian "SIM" to the international one, everyone can choose convenient offers for their own purposes. The main thing in the pursuit of savings is not to forget about the tariffs of your operator and timely replenish your phone balance. While abroad, this can be done using a bank card in the personal account of a telecom operator or through an Internet bank.

The European Union continues its integration policy. Mobile roaming will be canceled between the participating countries from June 15, 2017. Negotiations on the creation of a single cellular communication zone lasted for almost ten years, and now subscribers will be able to use all services at "home" rates in any EU country. We figured out how it was, what the new rules could lead to and where else it is time to cancel roaming.

Roaming tariffs. European experience of changing tariff policy

Cancellation of roaming in the European Union is an ongoing process. Over the past ten years, the European Commission has worked to gradually reduce mobile tariffs. When an EU citizen crossed the state border, he received an SMS notification about the prices for using basic services outside the home region - and they could not exceed the statutory norm. Eurobarometer polls showed that Europeans were in favor of abolishing roaming in 2006.

In 2010, the European Union introduced a bill on "shock accounts" - the first significant step towards subscribers. From July 1, in the EU countries, an automatic limitation of the monthly amount that a client could spend in roaming was set - 50 euros. When he spent 80% of this limit, he received an alert in the form of SMS or push notifications. After the limit was exhausted, the user received a message from the operator asking whether he wanted to continue using the connection in roaming. Thus, the law protected subscribers from excessive spending outside the home. It became simply impossible to get a "shock bill" for several hundred, or even thousands of euros at the end of the vacation.

Four years later, the European Commission carried out a study that involved 28,000 people. The survey found that 94% of Europeans significantly restrict themselves to using Facebook and other applications when traveling around the European Union. Most Europeans were still afraid to turn on their phone while roaming.

In 2014, a new bill was introduced to make life easier for subscribers on vacation. From that time on, the user could choose any operator while traveling within the EU, while the subscriber's number was saved. These rules, along with the cost limit, deterred operators from introducing unreasonably high prices for mobile communications.

The main achievement of the European Commission's policy from 2007 to 2014 is a gradual reduction in roaming prices between countries - by more than 90%. The maximum possible cost of Internet traffic has decreased from 6.00 to 0.20 € per MB, calls from 0.43 to 0.19 € per minute, and SMS messages from 0.11 to 0.06 €. Along with these measures, the European Commission and the European Parliament periodically raised the issue of the complete abolition of roaming within the EU, despite the opposition of telecom concerns.

Negotiations resumed in 2015 and culminated in the adoption of a package of amendments setting caps on the cost of mobile communications. So, in April 2016, a "transition period" began for subscribers traveling across state borders. Operators across Europe began to charge an additional 5 cents for outgoing calls, 2 cents for SMS and 5 cents per MB of Internet.

For ordinary Europeans, the abolition of roaming within the EU is not inferior in importance to such important integration initiatives as the introduction of the euro and the Schengen zone. A single virtual space was the last step towards a united Europe. The press has already called this event "a gesture towards the Facebook generation" and "advanced youth" - people who travel a lot and want to always stay connected. In addition, the abolition of roaming tariffs should make life easier not only for travelers, but also for those who work in international companies with branches throughout the European Union.

We spoke with young EU citizens and found out how their lives will change and how much will they save in summer 2017?

	“Cancellation of roaming is very good news. The topic is painful for young people. Everyone wants to use the Internet, upload travel photos to Instagram. But hotels in Europe do not always have Wi-Fi. I heard that students turn off their mobile communications when traveling to other countries. I prefer to use Wi-Fi. Finnish operator prices vary by country. The lowest prices are in Scandinavia. For a week in Spain, it took me 30 euros to actively use the Internet: surfing, e-mail, social networks. My "home" tariff of the Finnish operator Saunalahti is 30 euros. That is, one week in roaming is approximately equal to a month of communication at home. "
	“I have a standard tariff of the O2 operator with an Internet limit of 2GB per month. While traveling, I look at special rates with more favorable conditions in roaming. Many do so. On vacation, we can choose a local operator, while keeping both the SIM card and the old number. On average, the prices for calls and the Internet were not very high anyway. The savings will be on average 10-15 euros, but I'm not an active mobile user. "
	“For people who travel a lot, roaming has been a big problem. In 2005, it was scary to use the telephone abroad - one could be left without money. Then the prices for communication dropped significantly. European operators have tried to fight against price cuts. They raised tariffs for mobile internet. However, the European Commission has imposed a ban on tariff increases. Communication in Poland is cheaper than in other EU countries due to strong competition. The market is relatively large (40 million inhabitants) and all the major players are there: Orange, Vodafone under the Plus brand, T-mobile and others. I pay 15 euros per month for unlimited calls and SMS and 10 GB of internet. Most likely, the cancellation of roaming will go unnoticed, because this process has been going on for 10 years and now the prices for communication are not at all high. "

Cancellation of roaming in the European Union. What's in store for operators?

It seems that the abolition of roaming in the European Union should have caused a wave of protests from European telecom concerns.

Why didn't this happen?

Because European regulators have already taken into account the possible risks for the telecom.

The biggest risk is associated with different communication prices for national operators. Let's imagine that a vacation subscriber buys a SIM card with a cheap tariff in Poland or Hungary. Then he calmly uses this tariff at home - in France or Spain, where the prices for communication are much higher. Accordingly, there will be an outflow of the subscriber base, decrease in income, and other unpleasant consequences for operators.

In order to avoid abuses by subscribers, the European commissioners have introduced appropriate amendments to the bill.

From 2017, operators will be able to charge an additional amount for exceeding the established limit for communication in roaming - the so-called Fair-Use-Limit. The limit of free megabytes, minutes and SMS-messages must be determined by December 15 of this year. Exceeding the established standards will entail an increase in the cost of mobile communications.

In fact, this is a variation of the old scheme “home rate + euro cents per megabyte / minute / sms”.

The second risk is associated with the fact that the operator suffers significant losses from the cancellation of roaming tariffs in principle. Therefore, he is forced to compensate for his losses: to raise tariffs within the country, change roaming agreements with third countries (for example, with Russia), reduce packages of additional options. Let's imagine that the operator cannot cope with the "free roaming" and goes into the "minus". In this case, according to the new amendments, he can apply for damages to the national ministry of communications, which should compensate the operator's costs and prevent a number of players from leaving the market.

Roaming in Russia - how much more to pay?

Changes in the telecom market of the European Union may become an incentive to abolish roaming in other parts of the world, including Russia. At the end of September 2016, the head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) Igor Artemyev called on the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications to reconsider the department's policy regarding national roaming. As it turned out, not the first time. Over the past 6 years, various initiatives have been introduced to the State Duma: the introduction of a single tariff, the abolition of fees for incoming calls, the introduction of state regulation of tariffs and the complete abolition of roaming. In 2013, experts calculated the losses of operators - more than 20 billion rubles annually! According to analysts' forecasts, if roaming is canceled, prices for all basic communication services may rise significantly. As a result, the Ministry of Communications proposed to switch to a single tariff gradually, reducing the cost of communications.

From March 2015 to June 2016, the inter-operator rates for data transmission services decreased 18 times, for voice communications - 4.6 times, for SMS messages almost 10 times. In general, over the year, prices for communication services in roaming in Russia decreased by 50%.

For ordinary citizens of Russia, roaming is the same headache as for residents of the European Union. In 2015, initiative citizens published a petition on the Internet. The proposal was as follows. Completely abolish the concept of "national roaming". But in remote regions (where the construction of base stations is expensive), charge an additional 1-1.5 rubles. for a minute of conversation. More than 15 thousand people voted for the introduction of such a bill.

Outside of Europe. How much does roaming cost in the USA, India and China?

Analysts of J'Son and Partners have conducted a study of national roaming in different countries. Historically, roaming appeared on the territory of large states (USA, India, China) at the dawn of mobile communications. At the beginning, it was an instrument of state regulation of the industry. The main task for regulators was to bring new players to the market who did not have national networks or licenses for them.

Today there is no interstate roaming in the US. You can safely move around the country - the cost of mobile communication will not change. But in the USA, in contrast to Russia, incoming calls and SMS are paid. Therefore, there are two types of tariffs: unlimited and "pay as you go" (with per-minute tariffication). For example, T-Mobile has the cheapest unlimited tariff for calls / sms and 1 GB of Internet costs $ 50 (plus tax). The fee for an incoming / outgoing call / SMS starts from 10 cents on “pay as you go” tariffs. Mobile communications in the United States are considered more expensive than in Russia and Europe.

India, on the other hand, has interstate roaming, but prices are low. With an average cost of a minute within the network of $ 0.01, the cost of inter-network roaming is $ 0.01-0.05. For example, the Vodafone operator can choose a SIM card with the World Calling card tariff - the price for calls throughout the country will be the same. Some operators have a special option for mobile internet. 3G traffic is calculated according to the tariffs of the state where the SIM card was purchased - no additional charge. Some Indian operators are gradually moving towards a single mobile space. Large state-owned companies BSNL and MTNL have already launched initiatives to abolish national roaming.

There are only three companies in China, and all of them are state-owned: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. Roaming operates between cities, and communication is one and a half to two times more expensive. The prices for calls and the Internet are approximately as follows. A standard package of mobile Internet and voice calls costs from 50-500 RMB per month. A minute of outgoing calls in roaming will cost about 0.6 yuan, incoming calls - 0.4 yuan. Some tariffs do not charge additional charges for mobile traffic. The Chinese authorities also periodically think about abolishing domestic roaming. In July 2016, China Mobile suspended the sale of national roaming surcharge tariffs. And by the end of the year, the operator plans to completely abandon it.

Cancellation of national roaming is a topical issue not only for the European Union, but also for Russia, India, China - countries with a large territory and coverage area, an uneven economic level of development between regions. So far, the cancellation of roaming in these countries is only discussed at the state level. But the needs of subscribers to create a single mobile space are obvious. Perhaps, in the future, we will be able to move freely within the country using mobile communications without any restrictions.

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