Stop To Roaming by Mid-December of 2015

Last year, the European Commission adopted major regulatory proposals to complete the telecoms single market and deliver a Connected Continent. The aim of the proposals is to establish a single European authorization for operators that provide their services in more than one EU country, terminate roaming within the EU, harmonize the spectrum and virtual access to fixed networks, introduce a safeguarding access to the open internet and strengthen the rights of end-users.

The proposal also lays down harmonized rules on traffic management, which will promote cross- border business activities and improve services to end users. “The Commission wants to ensure that consumers are better informed about the minimum and the actual speed of their Internet connection. And that they have the opportunity to terminate the contract with their service provider without any penalty if the provider does not provide the speed specified in the contract”, highlights Peter Eberl, Deputy Head of Unit for Electronic Communications Regulation, DG CONNECT, European Commission. The European Parliament in its plenary held on 3rd April significantly amended the EC proposal with respect to net neutrality and ending data for roaming. According to the Parliament, roaming charges should end by 15th December 2015. Furthermore, internet access providers will be barred from blocking or slowing down selected services for economic or other reasons. Ondřej Malý, Member of the Council of the Czech Telecommunication Office, and Michal Frankl, Member of the Board of Telefónica Czech Republic, agree that the proposal comes too early without a deep prior evaluation of the current regulatory framework and has not followed standard rules of stakeholder consultation. This is also a critical point stressed by the Council.

Moreover, the Commission in its proposal changed the cap it had set up a couple of years ago, which kills investments made by the private sector including alternative roaming operators. The adoption of the proposal also depends on the result of June TTE Council where the proposal will be discussed. Potential changes brought by the single market for electronic communications and its impact on Czech entities were discussed during the debate co-organised by CEBRE on 1st April 2014.