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ANCOM authorizes RCS&RDS to levy roaming surcharges, from the first consumption unit
30.06.2017
With a view to enabling the operator to recover the costs of providing roaming services and maintain the tariffs of services provided in Romania, in accordance with the European roaming regulations, the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) approved RCS&RDS’ application to levy their customers certain surcharges, in addition to the domestic tariffs, for the roaming services provided in the European Union, as well as in Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein (EEA).
The surcharges authorised by ANCOM are capped in order to allow exclusively the recovery of the costs for the roaming services provided in the respective area and may be levied on all RCS&RDS customers consuming roaming services within the EEA starting from 30 June 2017, the date when ANCOM’s decision has been communicated to RCS&RDS and has entered into force, for a maximum 12-month term. So far, RCS&RDS prepaid cards are not roamingenabled.
The operator may levy surcharges from the first consumption unit used in roaming within the EEA, only for made and received calls, respectively for data roaming (MB/GB).
Caps for the roaming surcharges that may be levied by RCS&RDS
The roaming surcharges levied by RCS & RDS cannot exceed the following caps (VAT excluded):
a) 0.031 Euro/minute, for made calls;
b) 0.0108 Euro/minute, for received calls;
c) 6.37 Euro/GB (0.00637 Euro/MB), for the data roaming usage from 30 June 2017 till 31 December 2017, respectively 4.9 Euro/GB (0.0049 Euro/MB), for the data roaming usage from 1 January till 30 June 2018.
For the calls made while roaming in the EEA, the RCS&RDS subscribers will pay only the surcharge - from the first minute - within the limit of the included domestic minutes, respectively the tariff for off-net calls and the surcharge, after the consumption of the included domestic minutes.
For the calls received while roaming in the EEA, the RCS&RDS subscribers will pay only the surcharge, from the first minute.
For the data consumed while roaming in the EEA, the RCS&RDS subscribers will pay only the surcharge, from the first MB.
Despite the operator’s levying the maximum surcharge authorised by ANCOM, RCS&RDS subscribers are to actually pay tariffs that are 38% lower for the calls made, respectively approximately 87% lower for the data consumed while roaming in the EEA, compared to the tariffs paid during 30 April 2016 – 14 June 2017.
Nevertheless, RCS&RDS can establish a Fair Use Policy for the resources used while roaming in the EEA, and subsequently provide services under the ”Roam like at home” EU regulations – further details are available here (item 7).
Terms for levying surcharges under the ”Roam like at home” mechanism
According to the EU roaming regulations, mobile operators that are unable to commercially sustain “Roam like at home” – e.g. due to the low domestic tariffs charged – may request and may be authorised by the regulatory authority, upon assessment, to levy some sustainability surcharges on their users, in addition to the domestic tariffs.
So far, ANCOM has received one such request, from RDS&RCS. The surcharges authorised by the Authority are meant to ensure RCS&RDS’ capacity to recover the costs they incur in providing their customers roaming services within the EEA, without prejudice to the terms under which this operator provides mobile services on the Romanian market.
ANCOM’s authorisation is valid for 12 months and may be renewed if the authorisation grounds remain in force. ANCOM will monitor RCS&RDS throughout this interval, to ensure that the operator complies with the authorised caps and does not recover more than the costs of providing roaming services within the EEA.
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