On August 30, 2007, Telia is reducing its rates for customers who make and receive mobile phone calls while travelling in another EU country. The new rates will automatically apply to Telia subscribers.
The EU has decided to regulate roaming charges for mobile phone calls in the European Union by capping the rate that mobile operators can charge their customers in the EU when they make and receive calls in other EU countries. This regulation applies to all 27 member nations of the European Union. Telia has also decided to include Norway and Switzerland in the new reduced roaming charges.
"Now it will be cheaper for customers to call while travelling in the EU. Already in February, Telia started to co-operate with the EU, which resulted in lower international roaming charges for Telia's customers," says Håkan Dahlström, Head of Mobility Services in Sweden at TeliaSonera.
The change to the new rates will be simple for Telia's customers. The new roaming charges will automatically apply as of August 30, 2007 and require no action by Telia customers. The reduced roaming charge for calling from other EU countries will be SEK 5.50 per minute (including VAT). In TeliaSonera's own network, the charge will be SEK 4.75 per minute (including VAT). The new price for receiving calls will only be SEK 2.50 per minute (including VAT). Customers calling from abroad will not be billed an opening charge.
"With reduced roaming charges in the EU, and even lower rates in TeliaSonera's own network and a simplified pricing plan, we hope our customers will feel secure about using their mobile phone when travelling abroad," says Håkan Dahlström.
Telia has roaming agreements with 391 operators in 187 countries, which is more than any other operator in Sweden. Within the 27 member states of the European Union, Telia has roaming agreements with 88 operators. The new regulated roaming charges in the EU are only valid for phone calls and do not apply to rates charged for data traffic or SMS and MMS messaging.