Majority of telecom companies comply with the new roaming rules

On June 15, 2017, the new European roaming rules came into force. According to the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), most telecom companies seem to apply the new rules for calling, texting or surfing online abroad correctly. However, ACM is seeing offers of smaller telecom companies that are potentially at odds with the new roaming rules. ACM is currently examining these offers. Henk Don, Member of the Board of ACM, explains: “The main rule is that a telecom company has to offer the same tariffs in the rest of the European Union as it does in the customer’s home country. This applies to contract plans as well as to prepaid plans. ACM monitors the offers of telecom companies very closely. ACM is able to take action against offers that do not comply with the rules.”

About the new roaming rules

The new roaming rules apply to consumers and business customers when they call, text or surf online with their mobile phone within the European Union and in some of their overseas territories.   

Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have also adopted said rules. They do not apply to any other country. Telecom companies are allowed to set their own roaming tariffs for all other countries.

Calculation tool for consumers

ACM has created a handy Roaming Calculation tool for consumers on ConsuWijzer.nl (in Dutch). With it, consumers are able to calculate easily how many GB they are at least entitled to be able to use abroad at ‘roam-like-at-home’ rates.

Check our Roaming Calculation tool (in Dutch) Read more about the new roaming tariffs (in Dutch)