Digital Single Market: Cheaper calls to other EU countries as of 15 May

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As of 15 May, a new international call for text and SMS within the EU. As a result, consumers will have a maximum amount of 19 cents per minute (+ VAT) and 6 cents per SMS message (+ VAT). Following the end of roaming charges in June 2017, these new price caps for international calls and SMS in the EU are part of the EU-wide overhaul of telecommunications to strengthen coordination of electronic communications and enhance the role of the Body of European Regulators Electronic Communications (BEREC). The new rules for international calls tackle wide price Discrepanciesthat previously existed between Member States. On average, the standard price of a domestic fixed intra-EU call is higher than the standard price of a domestic call, and the standard price of an intra-EU SMS message is higher than that of a domestic one. In some cases the standard price of an intra-EU can be higher than the standard price for domestic calls. A new Eurobarometer surveyon international calls shows in the United States (42%) 26% of the respondents said they used landline, mobile phone, or SMS to reach someone else. Telecoms operators across the EU will have to notify the consumers of the new price caps. The rules will apply in all 28 EU countries as of 15 May and also in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The maximum price is only for personal use, ie for private customers. 

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