A European Union (EU) law to abolish roaming charges for people using mobile phones abroad came into force Thursday.
The new rules mean that citizens travelling within the EU will be able to call, text and browse the internet on mobile devices at the same price they pay at home.
The European Commission said the end of roaming charges was one of the greatest successes of the EU.
But a UK consumer group warned phone users could face “unexpected charges”.
Until now roaming, or connection, charges have been added to the cost of calls, texts and internet browsing when consumers from one EU country travelled to another and connected to a mobile network there.
In some cases, mobile users have faced bills of hundreds of pounds if, for example, they have downloaded a film.
In a statement the European Commission said: “Each time a European citizen crossed an EU border, be it for holidays, work, studies or just for a day, they had to worry about using their mobile phones and a high phone bill from the roaming charges when they came home.”
It had been working hard over the last ten years to fix this “market failure”, it said.
“Eliminating roaming charges is one of the greatest and most tangible successes of the EU,” the Commission added.
The new legislation means travellers can use their regular data allowance anywhere in the EU.
But consumer organisation Which? warned that exceeding data allowances would still be chargeable.
Exceeding agreed minutes, texts and data would still be charged in the EU as it would in the UK, with providers charging different rates, said Which?
In addition, different providers included different countries in their roaming territories, such as the Channel Islands and Switzerland.
Which? said mobile users should check the detail of their tariffs with their phone providers to avoid being caught out by surprise charges. -BBC
