Traveling with a smartphone – Knowledge News



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Munich (dpa / tmn) – Checklists are very popular with travelers. After all, you do not want to forget anything important. The smartphone does not appear on these packing lists – it's still there anyway.

And fortunately, since June 2017, mobile costs are no longer a problem if you are in other EU countries – or not? Answers to important questions concerning roaming:

Does the EU Roaming Rule apply only to the telephone?

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EU regulations also apply to short messages and the use of mobile data. Under the motto "Roam like at home", you only pay in the other member countries of the European Union, under the regulated tariff of the EU.

In the best case, you pay nothing?

So to speak, yes. For packages only monthly fees are due, minute packages you can abtelefonieren at home. All that goes beyond is calculated according to the price list, as in Germany. Normally, receiving calls does not cost anything at home.

Does the EU tariff apply to all tariffs?

In principle, yes. No matter if it's a postpaid or prepaid contract. "However, there are, for example, purely national tariffs, which do not provide for use abroad, but which are very cheap," says Katharina Grasl of the
Bavarian Consumer Center.

But on all other contracts, is the EU tariff automatically activated?

This is not certain. Because alternative offers at the EU tariff can continue to make the provider. In particular customers who have already booked a different rate, should ask the supplier, who is the default. Return to the EU tariff must be possible at any time immediately and free of charge. In addition, an SMS is required, indicating the existing international rate, when the smartphone connects for the first time to a foreign network.

Are there any restrictions on the EU tariff?

A limitation concerns the volume of data for relatively high flat rates. Here, the inclusive volume for surfing in EU countries can be reduced. The good news: If the provider has not explicitly communicated a data roaming limit, the user has the
Bundesnetzagentur according to the total amount of data available, which the contract also provides in Germany. In addition, providers may charge supplements if they find that someone else is surfing and surfing in a country other than their home country. This is intended to prevent the inexpensive tariffs of one Member State from being used primarily in another Member State.

Does the EU tariff apply also if I am calling from Germany?

The abolition of roaming charges does not apply to domestic calls, explains Katharina Grasl. "If you phone, for example, from Germany to another EU country, costs may still occur." At the EU level, however, a call cost settlement from the country of origin to other EU countries is being negotiated.

And what about Switzerland?

The EU tariff is mandatory only in the 28 Member States, Voluntarily, suppliers may also include other countries. If and what are these states, is in the price lists. In fact, Switzerland is more often than ever, sometimes even Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland – as Andorra or the subordinate territories of the British Crown as the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man against she. Here, SMS fare information helps to avoid unwanted additional costs. It also protects in the border area to Switzerland, if the own offerer does not count the alpine country at the EU tariff.

What problems can still arise in practice?

"In our consultancy discussions often concerns cruise ships and ferries" Mona Semmler of the Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen. "Many still do not know that the regulation does not apply to ships." There are often their own mobile networks, which are connected by satellite and generally very expensive. Semmler reports moon prices of up to 2.75 euros per SMS, up to 6 euros per minute of outgoing call and up to 25 euros for a megabyte of data. The consumer adviser advises to check the prices of the mobile phone on board before driving. And, "If you're not sure, it's best to just turn off roaming." An alternative could be the onboard WLAN.

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