MSE News: Mobile roaming costs fall, as Croatia joins the EU

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Former_MSE_Helen
Former_MSE_Helen Posts: 2,382 Forumite
in Mobiles
"The cost of using your mobile in the EU has fallen today, while those heading to Croatia will also now benefit..."
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Mobile roaming costs fall, as Croatia joins the EU

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  • NFH
    NFH Posts: 4,373 Forumite
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    Why is MSE being inaccurate on this again? Regulation (EU) No 531/2012 applies to roaming throughout the whole of the European Economic Area, not only within the European Union.

    Also MSE has misleadingly quoted the price caps without VAT. UK VAT should be added to these price caps unless roaming in the following EEA countries and territories which are outside the     EU VAT area:
    • Norway (EEA, non-EU)
    • Iceland (EEA, non-EU)
    • Liechtenstein (EEA, non-EU)
    • Reunion (an integral part of France and the EU)
    • French Guiana (an integral part of France and the EU)
    • Guadeloupe (an integral part of France and the EU)
    • Martinique (an integral part of France and the EU)
    • Canary Islands, Ceuta & Melilla (integral parts of Spain and the EU)
    • Gibraltar (a special member state territory of the EU)
    The United Kingdom opted to exempt non-EU VAT area roaming from UK VAT under Article 9(3)(a) of Council Directive 77/388 ("the Sixth VAT Directive") so that it could charge UK VAT on telecommunications services supplied by companies outside EU VAT area for use in the UK. The UK enacted this under Article 19 of the Value Added Tax (Place of Supply of Services) Order 1992.
  • zerog
    zerog Posts: 2,478 Forumite
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    What about Switzerland, and the Channel Islands?
  • d123
    d123 Posts: 8,624 Forumite
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    zerog wrote: »
    What about Switzerland, and the Channel Islands?

    Switzerland is not included.
    Currently roaming regulation is applied to and within 30 countries: all members of the European Economic Area (28 EU members, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).

    The EU countries apply the roaming regulation since 30 August 2007 while the non-EU countries apply the regulation since 1 January 2008.

    Switzerland is not included, despite close relations with the EU in several fields. Charges are considerably higher for EU residents roaming in Switzerland, and for Swiss residents in the EU, especially on internet data, which vary, but are often around €3/MB (2012).
    ====
  • NFH
    NFH Posts: 4,373 Forumite
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    zerog wrote: »
    What about Switzerland, and the Channel Islands?
    Many networks (but not all) apply the price caps to roaming in Switzerland and the Channel Islands, but given that these places are outside the EEA, they don't have to. However, they cannot charge VAT for roaming in Switzerland and the Channel Islands because they are outside the EU VAT area.

    On the other hand, the Isle of Man is a special case because it is outside the EEA (the price caps do not apply) but it is within the EU VAT area (so UK VAT is charged), i.e. the worst of both worlds.
  • Former_MSE_Helen
    Former_MSE_Helen Posts: 2,382 Forumite
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    Thanks NFH, we have tweaked the story to reflect those points raised.
  • Ratclia
    Ratclia Posts: 6 Forumite
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    Apologies if this is elsewhere on the Forum, but I have searched and haven't found anything.

    Has anybody had any problems yet with Croatia now in the EU for Mobile charges?
    I have recently returned from holiday in Cavtat, near Dubrovnik and have been hit by a £131.75 charge from O2 for Calls, Texts and Data.

    This is because O2 say I was connected to a Bosnian Network for a lot of the time. They say this can happen when you are near the Border.

    What I find annoying is that I received a message from O2 saying
    "Welcome to Croatia.You are on O2 Travel.
    You'll only be charged £1.99 for the days that you use data in Europe.
    When you make or receive calls, there’s a connection charge of 50p, then it’s free to talk for up to 60 minutes.


    I never received any messages saying I was connected to Bosnia at any time.


    I have disputed the charges, but they keep coming back saying I was connected to the Bosnian Network.
    I am currently awaiting another reply from their Complaints Review Service and if I have no success then I will need to take it to the Ombudsman next!!


    SO ANYONE HEADING TO CROATIA AND NEAR TO THE BORDER, MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE CROATIAN NETWORK OR YOU MAY END UP LIKE THIS.
  • NFH
    NFH Posts: 4,373 Forumite
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    Ratclia wrote: »
    What I find annoying is that I received a message from O2 saying
    "Welcome to Croatia.You are on O2 Travel.
    You'll only be charged £1.99 for the days that you use data in Europe.
    When you make or receive calls, there’s a connection charge of 50p, then it’s free to talk for up to 60 minutes.
    You should really push the point that they said "Europe" and not specifically "European Economic Area" or "European Union". Bosnia is indeed in Europe so according to O2's SMS (regardless of whether the intended meaning is otherwise), you should be ultimately charged these European rates even if your phone inadvertently logged on to a Bosnian network. O2's sloppy wording could save you a large bill, because their words are contractually binding.
  • Roger1
    Roger1 Posts: 1,603 Forumite
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    Ovivomobile, popular with FTers, still believe that Croatia is outside the EU, at least according to their pricing website accessed this morning.
    http://ovivomobile.com/pricing/ - click on Calls From Abroad
    Zone 1 – Non EU Channel Islands Zone 2 – EU Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden Zone 2 – Non EU Andorra, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Reunion, Switzerland, Vatican City Zone 3 – EU Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia Zone 3 – Non EU Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Faroe Islands
  • NFH
    NFH Posts: 4,373 Forumite
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    Ovivo are also wrong about Gibraltar and Reunion being outside the EU; they are both inside the EU. Also, with regard to the EU roaming regulation, the EEA (not the EU) is the relevant area, which includes the whole of the EU plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. It is odd that they focus instead on only on the EU.
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