From July 1 2010, consumers no longer need to worry about accidentally running up huge bills when they connect to the internet using mobile networks via a phone or computer when abroad in the EU, according to the European Commission.

Because of new EU rules on roaming, from July 1 travellers' data-roaming limit will be automatically set at 50 euro excluding VAT (unless they have chosen another limit - higher or lower), a European Commission media statement said on June 28.

Operators will have to send users a warning when they reach 80 per cent of their data-roaming bill limit.

The operator will have to cut off the mobile internet connection once the limit has been reached, unless the customer has indicated they want to continue data roaming that particular month.

Further, maximum wholesale prices for data roaming will fall from one euro to 80 euro cents a MegaByte.

The maximum price for making a roaming call will be cut to 39 euro cents a minute (excluding VAT), instead of the current 43 euro cents, while receiving a call will cost a maximum of 15 cents a minute (excluding VAT), instead of 19 cents.

The cost of making and receiving calls when abroad in the EU will now be 73 per cent cheaper than in 2005, when the EU first started to tackle excessive roaming charges, the European Commission said.

European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes said: "There will be no more bill shocks for tourists or business travellers surfing the internet with smart phones or laptops while in another EU country. The EU is also cutting the cost of roaming calls for travellers. I am determined to make the EU's telecoms markets more competitive."

Data roaming
The EU's 2009 Roaming Regulation (N° 544/2009) required mobile operators to offer their customers, as of March 2010, the possibility to set their own monthly cut-off price limit for data roaming via mobile phone or a computer.

From July 1 2010, if customers have not chosen a different cut-off level, operators will have to impose a monthly default cut-off for data roaming of 50 euro excluding VAT.

For non-euro zone countries, the amount will be calculated based on the exchange rate published in the EU's Official Journal as of  June 1 2010.

These measures mean, according to the European Commission, that users will no longer receive massive bills (potentially thousands of euro) because they downloaded music or watched videos on their phones or computers while in another EU member state without being aware of the cost.

As an example of the problem, in 2009, a German traveller downloading a TV programme while roaming in France faced a bill of no less than 46 000 euro. In another recent example, a UK student was reported as receiving a bill of almost 9000 euro for data roaming during a single month while studying abroad.

Under the EU regulation, operators must send their customers a message informing them about the data roaming tariffs every time they enter another EU country.

Operators must also send customers a warning alert once they have reached 80 per cent of their specified limit. Messages can be sent by text message, e-mail or with a pop-up window on computer screens, whichever way the operator chooses and according to the device being used.
In addition, the maximum wholesale prices for data roaming allowed under the Roaming Regulation are cut as of  July 1 from one euro to 80 cents a MegaByte (MB) of information uploaded or downloaded. In 2011, the price will fall further, to 50 cents an MB.

Roamed voice calls
The maximum retail prices (excl. VAT) for roaming calls will also be reduced.

They will fall by nearly 10 per cent, from 43 cents to 39 cents a minute for calls made and by more than 20 per cent from 19 cents to 15 cents a minute for calls received.

Finally, receiving a voice mail message while roaming, indicating that a new voice mail has arrived, will become free of charge, but consumers will continue to be charged for listening to their voice mail messages. Prices for sending short text messages will remain at 11 cents a message.

Member states' national telecoms regulators must ensure that mobile phone operators comply with the new rules on data roaming and the lower prices of voice calls, the European Commission said.

Consumers can contact the national regulator in the member state where their mobile operator is based if they have any problems or questions about the new limits, the EC said.