ANCOM draws attention of voice and mobile internet users planning holidays abroad to verify the terms and conditions for using roaming services, especially if the destination is in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Users should also pay attention to involuntary roaming, which can occur in border areas.
Roam like at home (EU/EEA)
According to the “Roam like at home” principle, customers can use national voice, SMS and data resources when travelling within EEA states (including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) at no additional costs, as if they were in Romania, within the limits of fair use.
If the limits of the fair use policy are exceeded, operators may apply surcharges, which are, however, capped by European regulations.
Keep in mind!
- Starting January 1, 2026, the scope of “Roam Like at Home” has expanded to include the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Thus, users will be able to make calls and use mobile data in these countries under the same conditions as in their home country.
- In the United Kingdom, Monaco, Andorra, and Switzerland, the “Roam Like at Home” principle does not apply.
Attention!
- When users connect to the network of an electronic communications provider in another country providers in Romania are required to send, usually via SMS, information on roaming tariffs (including VAT). An exception applies if the user has informed the provider that he do not wish to receive such notification.
- In border areas, there is a risk of automatic connection to the network of an operator from a neighbouring country. This phenomenon may generate additional costs if users connect to a network from a country outside the EEA, even if users are not physically located within that country. To prevent such situations, users can opt for manual network selection in their phone settings or, if they are in Romania, they can disable the roaming service.
- If users have been informed about the applicable tariffs, involuntary roaming does not exempt those who find themselves in this situation from being the corresponding bill.
- Since tariffs in non-EEA countries (such as the United Kingdom, Serbia, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, or Israel) are not regulated, it is essential to check them before traveling. Standard tariffs can reach, for example, €2.61/min for outgoing calls and €4.76/MB for mobile data.
- Many operators use standard tariffs in the form of packages that are automatically activated upon the first use of roaming services, even if users have not explicitly requested this, as long as such provisions are included in the contracts concluded with users (e.g. €2/10 minutes for calls or €18/4000 MB of internet). In the case of package-based charging, using even a single minute of a call or a single MB of data triggers the full charge for the package. The remaining resources can then be used until they are exhausted, before a new charge is applied. Users can request in advance the activation of a dedicated (extra) option to benefit from lower tariffs.
- Providers may also offer tariff plans (subscriptions or prepaid cards) that are exclusively national, without roaming. Therefore, when traveling outside Romania, users are advised to check whether the purchased tariff plan includes roaming access or not.
What, how and where to complain
Users who have a complaint regarding the roaming service (or the fair use policy) should first contact their provider. If the provider has not resolved the reported issue, they may submit a complaint to ANCOM, following the steps described here.