27.12.2018

Starting from 1 January 2019, following the decrease in the regulated wholesale tariff, the data volume (MB/GB) that can be consumed while roaming in the EU/SEE^[1] without incurring any surcharges will increase, for most of the tariff plans. Furthermore, if the limits for the fair use of roaming services in the EU/EEA (FUP limits) are exceeded, the surcharges that could be levied for subsequent consumption will go down as follows:

- from 1 January 2019, the data surcharge drops by 25%, from 6 euro to EUR 4.5 euro/GB;

- from 3 January 2019, the surcharge for calls received decreases by approximately 7%, from 0.91 to 0.85 eurocents/minute.

Moreover, starting from 3 January 2019, the maximum surcharge rate that RCS & RDS S.A. is authorized to charge its own customers for roaming calls received in the EEA, under the conditions set out in the ANCOM President's Decision no. 571/2018, decreases from 0.91 to 0.85 eurocents/minute.

Situations when data roaming surcharges are levied

Starting from 15 June 2017, the data volume (mobile Internet - MB/GB) consumed while roaming in the EU/SEE is basically charged the same tariffs as in Romania. However, for most of the tariff plans, the providers may set a data volume that can be consumed while roaming in the EU/SEE without any surcharges within a billing period (FUP limit). From 1 January 2019, the FUP limit will increase by 25% compared to the one applied between 1 January and 31 December 2018.

After exceeding the FUP limit, the providers may levy a surcharge, even if the included traffic has not been fully exhausted. Currently, the surcharge amounts to maximum 6 euro/GB (0.7 eurocents/MB), but - from 1 January 2019 - it will drop to a maximum of 4.5 euro/GB (0.45 eurocents/MB), VAT not included.

FUP limit while roaming in the EU/SEE starting from 1 January 2019

a)    on open data bundles (prepaid cards, subscriptions, add-ons), and on tariff plans for which the per-GB tariff is less than 4.5 euro (VAT not included), the users can consume, in the SEE, with no surcharges, a data roaming volume – in GB – calculated as follows:

                                   retail price for mobile services, per billing period (VAT not included)

       2 x        

                                                                        4.5 euro

b)    on prepaid cards without a data allowance (pay per unit or per MB/GB), the users can consume in the SEE, with no surcharges, an initial (while the users pay as they go, the FUP limit does down) data roaming volume – in GB – calculated as follows:

                                   amount of pre-paid credit available at entry in UE/SEE roaming

                                                                       4.5 euro            

Further details on the manner of applying data roaming fair use limits (in EU/SEE), including calculation models, are available on ANCOM’s website, here.                                                                          

"Roam like at home” FUP limit calculator: an ANCOM application

For the users’ easier estimation of their FUP data roaming limit in the EU/SEE, ANCOM has developed a widget application, available here. The widget, currently using the 6 euro/GB tariff in force until the end of 2018, will be updated to the 4.5 euro/GB tariff, starting from 1 January 2019. The widget generates relevant results for all the users of tariff plans with roaming access, excepting those of RCS&RDS S.A., an operator authorised to levy roaming surcharges from the first consumption unit. Further information on “Roam like at home” are available in the dedicated section on ANCOM’s website, here.