Calls within the EU for no more than BGN 0.44/minute

Calls within the EU for no more than BGN 0.44/minute – BG operators have mixed feelings.

International mobile calls within the European Union would cost no more than BGN 0.44 or EUR 0.19 per minute (including VAT), according to the proposal of Commissioner Neelie Kroes submitted to the European Commission says.

The regulation will affect also the fixed telecommunication services. The idea is that calls from a home phone to another EU country should not be charged more than the cost of an internal conversation of a same kind. As a first step towards a new regulation, the proposal calls for abolishing roaming fee for incoming calls from July 2014, and roaming as we know it should completely become history from 2016.

Thus, when traveling in the EU, talking on the mobile would cost the same price as a call within Bulgaria.

Standard asked the largest BG telecoms for their opinion on the subject. GLOBUL and Vivacom indicated that that they support efforts to create a more modern regulatory framework , but could not comment in detail before being acquainted with the exact measures and the relevant analysis.

Mtel, the largest GSM operator in Bulgaria however says that these latest proposals " would have a damaging effect on the telecom market," which could lead to " loss of income, reduction of investment, lack of innovation opportunity and job losses".

The new rules will have to be adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council so the date when they would actually come into force is still unclear.

Source: http://www.standartnews.com/

13.09.2013, ABOUT BULGARIA