12.06.2017

Starting from 15 June 2017, voice minutes, SMS and data consumed while roaming in the European Union (EU) and within the European Economic Area (EEA) will be deducted from the users’ domestic allowance. Consumption exceeding a user’s domestic allowance will be charged like at home, off-net, yet within the limits of a fair use policy, thus completing the transition to the “Roam like at home” tariff system, meant to protect the users from the bill shock generated by roaming in the EU countries, as well as in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (EEA).

Beneficiaries of the ”Roam like at home” system

The new conditions are applicable, by default, to all the tariff plans that include roaming, purchased both before and after 15 June 2017. To benefit from the ”Roam like at home” system, there is no need for existing users to buy a new tariff plan or to renew their subscription in force.

”Roam like at home” will not apply to users that choose a special tariff plan, as an alternative to the EU/EEA roaming service. Nevertheless, those who have chosen such an alternative have the right to revert to ”Roam like at home”, with no additional charges.  

Charging roaming consumption in the EU/EEA

1.    Calls and SMS:

Starting from 15 June 2017, outgoing roaming calls (minutes) and SMS to all the destinations in the EU/EEA (including to all the telephone numbers in Romania) will be deducted from the included domestic minutes and SMS, up to the consumption of such allowance. After the consumption of this allowance, the tariffs applicable in Romania, for off-net traffic, will be charged.

Incoming calls and SMS while roaming in the EU/EEA are free of charge.   

2.    Internet - data (MB/GB):

As a general rule, data (MB/GB) consumed while roaming in the EU/EEA will be deducted from the domestic data allowance. After the consumption of this allowance, the tariffs applicable in Romania will be charged. 

However, for open data bundles, the providers can establish a data (MB/GB) limit that may be consumed in the EU/EEA with no additional charges. After this limit, a maximum tariff of 7.7 EUR/GB (0.0077 EUR/MB), without VAT, will be charged. Further details on charging roaming data consumption is available, in Romanian, here.   

Possible derogations from this charging mechanism

Operators that are not able to commercially sustain service provision under the ”Roam like at home” mechanism may request and - following an analysis - receive authorisation from the national regulatory authority to apply the users an extra-charge, in addition to the domestic tariffs, starting with the first minute/SMS/MB consumed while roaming in the EU/EEA.  

Preventing abusive or atypical roaming consumption in the EU/EEA

In order to prevent abusive or atypical use of EU/EEA roaming services, i.e. the roaming consumption for other purposes than occasional trips outside Romania – e.g. the permanent use of roaming services in the EU/EEA –, a provider may apply a fair use policy (FUP) for this service.

Users that exceed the FUP limit within the EU/EEA may be applied extra-charges, in addition to the domestic tariffs. The amount of these charges cannot amount beyond a certain ceiling. Further details on the additional charges applicable in roaming are available, in Romanian, here.  

The fair use conditions for the EU/EEA roaming services must be laid down, in detail, in the contracts concluded between users and providers.

Additional charges for abusive or atypical consumption may be applied in the following cases:

• where a user fails to present, upon the providers’ request, a proof regarding his/her prevalent place of residence or the existence of permanent links with Romania;
• where, within a minimum 4-month monitoring period, one SIM card cumulatively registers a higher level of both mobile services consumption (minutes, SMS, data), and presence (network connection) in EU/EEA roaming, than the national level;
• where a SIM card registers a long inactivity period and may be associated to a prevailing or exclusive use in EU/EEA roaming;
• where a user has purchased and successively used, in EU/EEA roaming, several SIM cards from one provider.

Further information on ”Roam like at home” is available in the dedicated section of ANCOM’s website, www.ancom.org.ro.