EU Caps Roaming Text Costs

By Digital Trends Staff July 15, 2008

The European Commission (EC) had asked network operators to voluntarily cut the costs of text-roaming in Europe – the cost of sending a text while in another country. The network operators had refused, saying costs were falling anyway.

Now the EC has shown the iron fist in its velvet glove by announcing it will impose a cap on text-roaming charges, and has warned it will do the same with data-roaming charges unless operators take steps themselves.

In a statement the Commission said:

"The average cost of a roaming text message in the EU between October 2007 and March 2008 was €0.29 [45 cents], according to the European Regulators Group (ERG), but can be as high as €0.80 for travellers from Belgium. Calls on the industry for self-regulation and voluntary reductions of roaming prices for text messages have not been answered. The Commission will, therefore, start working on measures to ensure that consumers benefit from a truly single market for mobile text services."

The Commission has indicated that its proposals will go before the European Parliament early this fall.

According to ZDNet, mobile industry body the GSM Association responded by saying that "the Commission’s proposals to single out yet another aspect of the mobile industry and apply retail price regulation, threatens to choke growth and stifle competition."

Editors' Recommendations

Digital Trends Staff

Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…

Computing

How to send a text message from a computer

A close up of a person's hands typing on a laptop.

If you’re on a computer and you get a text on your phone, wouldn’t it be great if you could reply without picking it up? Yes, it would, and there are great apps and services that enable just that ability.

Whether you use Apple or Android, you can send and receive text messages on a Mac, Windows PC, or Chromebook. Keep reading to determine which option works best for you.

Mobile

These two Android foldables cost less than one Galaxy Z Fold 5

The folded Tecno Phantom V Fold and Tecno Phantom V Flip.

Tecno Phantom V Flip (left) and Tecno Phantom V Fold Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 costs $1,800, and even if it is one of the most desirable devices out there at the moment, that’s a pretty big bill to swallow.

Mobile

Apple’s new Lightning to USB-C adapter costs more than just buying a USB-C cable

Apple Store listing for an Apple Lightning to USB-C adapter cable.

I don't think the iPhone 15's transition to USB-C is going to be all that painful. Yes, the Lightning plug has found its way to every corner of the world, and you're just as likely to find one to charge up your phone as you are any other cable when you're desperate for some juice, but we can't discount just how many USB-C chargers, cables, and accessories there are out in the world already. This is going to go just fine.

But you can always count on Apple to take advantage of switching standards with some hilariously priced -- and borderline pointless -- adapters to ease the transition for people who don't know any better but to click a few extra buttons and purchase official accessories when they're buying their latest device. Enter Apple's USB-C to Lightning adapter, which is conveniently already available on the Apple Store.