European Union governments and MEPs have agreed to cap the price of calling from one EU country to another as part of the proposed European Electronic Communications Code. Under the terms of the provisional deal between the European Parliament and Council, calls from one EU state to another will be capped at 19 eurocents per minute while text messages will cost no more than 6 eurocents each. Also, 5G licences will be awarded for at least 20 years under the new law, down from the 25 originally proposed.
The deal, which has yet to be approved by both member states and the parliament before becoming law, also includes measures allowing incumbent operators to be deregulated if they co-invest in new broadband networks with rivals and paves the way for the introduction of more small cells for 5G in urban areas.
According to the document, the agreement wants to ensure that all citizens are protected and that they have access to affordable communication services, including universally available internet access, for services such as e-government, online banking or video calls. The rules say people with disabilities must be provided with equivalent access to communications, and that people in general must be able enjoy tariff transparency and better security against hacking or malware. People subscribing to bundled packages must also be better protected.
In addition, people must easily be able to keep their number and to be safe in emergency situations. This means emergency services must be able to retrieve more accurate caller location if needed, and they must broaden emergency communication to include texts and video calls while establishing a system to transmit public warnings on mobile phones.
"The new telecoms rules are an essential building block for Europe's digital future,” said EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Mariya Gabriel, adding that “after several months of tough negotiations, we have agreed on bold and balanced rules to provide faster access to radio spectrum, better services and more protection for consumers, as well as greater investment in very high speed networks.”
“No more overly expensive calls and SMS!! Today we decided to put a cap on prices if you call or text another EU-country from your home. Good step forward,” said Finnish MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri in a tweet, as reported by Reuters.
However, industry body ETNO described the new code as a missed opportunity in that it failed to only added complexity to an already burdensome system and failed to provide sufficient boost to investments in 5G and fibre networks. “This is not the policy boost Europe needs for 5G and fibre and the focus is now on whether national authorities will take a pro-investment stance,” said ETNO chairman Phillip Malloch.
The GSMA also expressed concerns, saying the deal fails to confront long-term challenges for the European telecommunication sector and that it could hinder deployment of 5G networks in Europe. “We are disappointed that this crucial opportunity – for citizens as well as for the 5G industry – was not fully grasped, and strongly believe in the need of a better deal for Europe’s global digital competitiveness,” said Afke Schaart, VP and Head of Europe at the GSMA.
