Mobile broadband costs dropped across EU

Travellers using mobile broadband abroad won’t have to worry about extortianate charges, thanks to new laws introduced on Monday.

Under the EU’s new legislation, a single tariff has been introduced for roaming broadband use across all 27 member states.

Travellers crossing national borders within the EU  can now use their mobile broadband knowing that the wholesale cost (the price that ISPs in different countries charge one another) will come to no more than €1 (85p) per MB.

It is expected that ISPs will pass on the savings of this reduced figure to customers, resulting in lower charges for mobile broadband use across the EU.

“The roaming rip-off is now coming to an end thanks to the determined action of the European Commission, the European Parliament and all 27 EU member states,” said EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding.

“The Commission and national regulators will monitor data roaming charges very carefully and assess next year whether the roaming market is finally becoming competitive.”

ISP 3 is one of the first to have announced its new roaming prices – from today, it will charge laptop users £1.25 per MB of data downloaded.

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