This past January in the news: the EU wants to take the helm when it comes to internet governance and safeguard open Internet, while Turkey passes legislation allowing authorities to block access to web pages for violations of privacy. Oh, and 94% of Europeans limit their use of social media abroad because of roaming charges.
The European Commission has adopted what it is calling its “most ambitious plan in 26 years of telecoms market reform”. The proposed revamp should see a reduction in consumer charges, and will simplify red tape faced by companies, bringing a range of new rights for both users and service providers. For more, see Aphaia's White
June saw the Think.Eat.Save anti-food waste campaign, the rise of the PRISM spying scandal, the implementation of e-Call, the automated emergency call in cars, and has reminded us that roaming charges in the EU will once again be lowered come July. All this and more in our latest monthly round-up.
The possible end for EU roaming charges and a guarantee of net neutrality, the questionable independence of the Estonian telecoms regulator, the wide gap between US and EU mobile networks and more than 400ppm of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere, all in the news this May.
The European Union has reached a preliminary deal on the new EU Roaming Rules proposed by the European Commission last year. The European Parliament is expected to approve the agreement in May 2012 and the Council in June, paving the way for the new rules to enter into force on 1 July 2012.
The European Commission has announced that EU mobile operators will have to once again lower retail prices of roaming calls in the EU. The final goal of the EU is to end mobile roaming surcharges by 2015 by boosting competition in the market, the Commission adds.
EU consumers no longer need to worry about accidentally running up huge bills when connecting to the internet via a phone or computer when abroad in the EU.