Activities of Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN related to 2011/0187(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on roaming on public mobile communications networks within the Union (recast) PDF (774 KB) DOC (850 KB)
Amendments (32)
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Consumers should have the right to opt for the separate sale of roaming services from their domestic mobile package. Basic principles should be laid down wiIn the Member States where their contract for the provision of domestic mobile services is concluded, consumers should have the regard to the provision of aight to opt for the separate sale of retail roaming services which should be introduced in a coordinated manner across the Unionfrom their domestic mobile package. Consumers should be able to choose a different provider for retail roaming services without changing their number, and in a manner which ensures interoperability of services, with retail roaming services being provided anywhere in the Union and with the same level of quality.
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22 a (new)
Recital 22 a (new)
(22 a) Consumers in the EU are increasingly using mobile data services in their home country. However, high data roaming prices are hindering customers from using mobile data services when travelling in the Union. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that there are no obstacles to use alternative data roaming services, in particular through separate sale or temporary use of local data roaming services. For temporary usage of local data roaming services mobile users should be enabled to access locally supplied mobile data services, regardless of existing roaming contracts or arrangements with the provider of domestic mobile communication services and without any additional charge levied by them.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22 b (new)
Recital 22 b (new)
(22 b) There are several ways in which facilities for separate sale of roaming services and for temporary access to local data roaming services could be implemented. This Regulation should not mandate any particular technical solution for these facilities but instead lay down essential requirements which should be met by these facilities in order allow the most effective and efficient solution, or combination of solutions. Those requirements should ensure in particular effective competition for the benefit of European consumers, including intensive users of data services.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Increased cooperation and coordination among mobile network operators should be established to technically enable the provision of separate roaming services, and to ensure coordinated and sound technical evolution of the separate sale ofprovision of separate roaming services and access to local data roaming services in the Union. Therefore, guidelines detailing further the relevant basic principles and methodologies should be elaborated, in order to allow a rapid adaptation to changed circumstances and technological advancement. BEREC, in coordination with the Commission and in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, should issue guidelines to develop the technical elements of a facility to enable the separate sale of roaming services and access to local data roaming services. The Commission could give a mandate to a European Standardisation Body for the amendment of the relevant standards that are necessary for the harmonised implementation of these facilityies.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) It is considered that for the separate sale of roaming services to be fully effective, it needs to be combined with the wholesale access obligation for the provision of roaming services to facilitate market entry by new or existing players including cross-border roaming services providers. This solution will avoid distortions between Member States by ensuring a consistent regulatory approach thereby contributing to the development of the single market. However, this solution ine establishment of facilities for separate sale of roaming services will require a reasonable period for operators to adapt at the technical level, and therefore the facility for separate sale of roaming services will only result in a genuine internal market with sufficient competition after a certain period of time. For this reason, price caps for the wholesale charges for voice, SMS messages and data roaming services as well as safeguard caps for those service at the retail level should be maintained on a temporary basis at an appropriate level to ensure that the existing consumer benefits are preserved during a transitional period of implementation of such structural solutions, after which they could be removed
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 a (new)
Recital 24 a (new)
(24a) Considering that roaming prices can still be considered as a barrier to an internal market for telecoms and that the Digital Agenda for Europe sets as an objective that the differences between roaming and national telecoms tariffs should approach zero by 2015, operators should have the choice to reach this target on a voluntary basis. For this reasons operators offering to all their customers on all offers roaming tariffs significantly close to those charged for domestic voice, SMS and data services by 1 July 2014 should be exempted from the obligation to implement the technical measures for separate sale of roaming services. The required tariff level allowing the exemption should be defined by the Commission through delegated acts on basis of the opinion of BEREC after appropriate stakeholder consultation.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The transitory Eurotariff to be offered to roaming customers should reflect a reasonable margin over the wholesale cost of providing a roaming service, whilst allowing operators the freedom to compete by differentiating their offerings and adapting their pricing structures to market conditions and consumer preferences. SuchAccording to the calculation methodology of BEREC, where the retail cap is three times the wholesale cap, a margin of 200% would allow market entry and the development of competition. Therefore safeguard caps should be set at levels which doccordingly, in order not to distort the competitive benefits of structural solutions and could be removed once the structural solutions have had an opportunity to deliver concrete gains for customers. This regulatory approach should not apply to value added services.
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point o
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point o
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point o a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point o a (new)
(oa) 'local data roaming service' means data roaming service provided to customers directly on a visited network by a mobile network operator, mobile virtual network operator or reseller;
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Home providerProviders of domestic mobile communications services shall enable their subscribcustomers to access voice, SMS and data roaming services of any interconnected alternative roaming providr to access local data roaming services provided by any alternative roaming provider offering roaming services in the Member State where the contract or arrangement for the provision of domestic mobile communications services has been concluded with the customer.
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. With effect from 1 Julyne 2014, home providers of domestic mobile communications services shall inform all their roaming customers of the possibility to unsubscribe from their existing roaming services and to opt for roaming services fromoffered by an alternative roaming provider in accordance with paragraph 1. The roaming customers shall be given a period of two months within which to make their choice known to their home providers of domestic mobile communications services. In case a customer chooses to switch to an alternative roaming provider within this time limit, the switch should be carried out within a maximum period of one working day. Roaming customers who have not expressed their choice within that period shall have the right to opt for an alternative roaming provider at any moment, in line with paragraphs 3 and 4.
Amendment 161 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Any switch to or from an alternative roaming provider shall be free of charge and shall not entail conditions or restrictions pertaining to elements of the subscription other than the roaming service provided by the alternative roaming provider, and shall be carried out within fivone working days, save that where a roaming customer who has subscribed to a domestic package which includes roaming prices other than the Eurotariff, Euro-SMS tariff or Euro- data tariff, the home provider of domestic mobile communications services may delay the switch from the old to the new subscription concerning roaming services for a specified period not exceeding threewo months.
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 5
Article 4 – paragraph 5
5. At the time of making or renewing a contract on mobile communication services, home providers of domestic mobile communications services shall provide all customers individually with full information on the possibility to choose an alternative roaming provider and facilitateshall not hinder the conclusion of a contract with an alternative roaming provider. Customers concluding a contract with the home provider for roamingof domestic mobile communications services shall explicitly confirm that they have been informed of such possibility. The providers of mobile communications services shall not prevent retailers serving as their points of sale to offer contracts for separate roaming services with alternative roaming providers.
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
6. The home provider of domestic mobile communications services or the operator of a visited network shall not alter the technical characteristics of roaming services provided by an alternative roaming provider in such a way as to make them differ from the technical characteristics, including the quality parameters, of roaming services provided by the operator providingprovider of domestic mobile communications services.
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. If the customer has subscribed for local data roaming services with an alternative roaming provider in accordance with paragraph 1, the provider of domestic mobile communications services shall continue to provide voice and SMS roaming services with the same technical characteristics, including the quality parameters, as when the customer is using data roaming services provided by the provider of domestic mobile communications services.
Amendment 173 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6 b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. When a customer is offered by his home provider roaming tariffs significantly close to the tariffs for domestic voice, SMS and data services, the obligation for this operator to enable its customer to access voice, SMS and data roaming services of any alternative roaming operator shall not apply.
Amendment 176 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6 c (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. The maximum difference operators may apply between domestic and roaming tariffs in order to comply with the above paragraph 6 b should be set by the Commission through delegated acts on basis of the opinion of BEREC, after consulting stakeholders and within a reasonable period of time not exceeding three months after the adoption of this Regulation. When all roaming offers of an operator meet the conditions provided for in this paragraph, paragraphs 1 to 6 above and Article 5 shall not apply.
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a Temporary access to local data roaming services 1. Providers of domestic mobile communications services shall not prevent their customers from temporarily accessing local data roaming services of any provider of local mobile data roaming services without unsubscribing from their existing data roaming contract or arrangement. 2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply if a customer has opted for a contract with an alternative roaming provider pursuant to Article 4. 3. While the customer is temporarily using local data roaming services, the provider of domestic mobile communications services shall continue to provide voice and SMS roaming services with the same technical characteristics, including the quality parameters, as when the customer is using data roaming services provided by the provider of domestic mobile communications services. 4. The customer's choice to temporarily access local data roaming services of any provider of local data roaming services shall not entail any associated subscription or other fixed or recurring charges by the home provider and shall be possible with any retail tariff plan. 5. Any temporary switch to a provider of local data roaming services instead of data roaming services by the provider of domestic mobile communications services and any switch back to the provider of domestic mobile communications services shall be free of charge and shall not entail conditions or restrictions pertaining to elements of the subscription, and shall be carried out without delay.
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
1. For the purpose of separate sale of roaming services in accordance with Article 4, operators shall make sure that facilities are in place by 1 Julyne 2014 at the latest, to ensure that their customers can use domestic mobile services and separate roaming services offered by an alternative roaming operator while keeping their mobile number. In order to enable the separate sale of roaming services, operators may in particular allow the use of a ‘EU roaming profile’ on the same SIM card and the use of the same terminal alongside domestic mobile services. Pricing for interconnection and while using the same terminal. Pricing for interconnection and additional support services related to the provision of thisese facilityies shall be cost- orientated and there should be no direct charges to consumers for the use of this facility.
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2. The provider of domestic mobile communications services shall not refuse agreements for the provision of voice and SMS roaming services to its customers using local data roaming services of the alternative roaming provider.
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 b (new)
3. For the purpose of enabling temporary access to local data roaming services in accordance with Article 4a, operators shall make sure that facilities are in place by 1 June 2014 at the latest, to ensure that their customers can temporarily access local data roaming services of any provider of such services while keeping their mobile number and while using the same terminal. Pricing for user authentication services shall be free of charge and pricing for additional support services related to the provision of these facilities shall be cost-orientated and there shall be no direct charges to consumers for the use of this facility.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 c (new)
4. If the provider of domestic mobile communications services is offering roaming services in the country of a provider of local data roaming services, the provider of domestic mobile communications services shall not refuse agreements for the provision of voice and SMS roaming services to the customers of the provider of local data roaming services in the visited country.
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 d (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 d (new)
5. In order to ensure the development of the single market, the implementation of the facilities referred to in Paragraphs 1 and 3, through one or more technical solutions, shall take place in a harmonised way across the Union and shall meet the following essential requirements: – consumer friendliness, in particular allowing consumers to easily and quickly switch to an alternative roaming provider while keeping their existing mobile phone number; – ability to serve different categories of consumer demand on competitive terms, including intensive users of data services; – ability to effectively foster competition, taking also into account the scope for operators to exploit their infrastructure assets or commercial arrangements; – cost-effectiveness, taking into account the division of costs between the providers of domestic mobile communications services and the alternative roaming providers; – ability to give effect to the obligation to enable consumers to select an alternative roaming provider within the time limit laid down in paragraph 1.
Amendment 197 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
6. BEREC, after consulting stakeholders and in close co-operation with the Commission, shall lay down, within a reasonable period of time not exceeding three months after the adoption of this Regulation, gGuidelines with regard to harmonised technical solutions relating to the facility for the separate sale of roaming services and to harmonised procedures to change the provider of roaming services, and relating to the facility for enabling access to local data roaming services. Upon a reasoned request from the BEREC, the Commission may extend that period. Where necessary, after consulting stakeholders and in close cooperation with the Commission, BEREC may update the Guidelines.
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. The average wholesale charge that the operator of a visited network may levy from the customer's home provider for the provision of a regulated roaming call originating on that visited network, inclusive inter alia of origination, transit and termination costs, shall not exceed EUR 0,143 per minute as of 1 July 2012 .
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. The average wholesale charge referred to in paragraph 1 shall apply between any pair of operators and shall be calculated over a twelve-month period or any such shorter period as may remain before the end of the period of application of a maximum average wholesale charge as provided for in this paragraph or the expiry of this Regulation. The maximum average wholesale charge shall decrease to EUR 0,10 and EUR 0,06 7, on 1 July 2013 and,on 1 July 2014 and 0,06 on 1 July 20145 respectively. Without prejudice to Article 13, the maximum average wholesale charge shall remain at EUR 0,06 for the duration of this Regulation.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. The retail charge (excluding VAT) of a Eurotariff which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for the provision of a regulated roaming call may vary for any roaming call but shall not exceed EUR 0,320 per minute for any call made or EUR 0,110 per minute for any call received as of 1 July 2012 . The price ceiling for calls made shall decrease to EUR 0,28 and5 on 1 July 2013, EUR 0,241 on 1 July 20134 and to EUR 0,18 on 1 July 20145 respectively, and for calls received to EUR 0,10 on 1 July 2013 08 on 1 July 2013, EUR 0,07 on 1 July 2014 and to EUR 0,06 on 1 July 2015. Without prejudice to Articles 13 and 19 these regulated maximum retail charges for the Eurotariff shall remain valid until 30 June 2016.
Amendment 254 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. With effect from 1 July 2012 , the retail charge (excluding VAT) of a Euro-SMS tariff which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for a regulated roaming SMS message sent by that roaming customer may vary for any roaming SMS message but shall not exceed EUR 0,10 shall decrease to EUR 0,09 on 1 July 2012, EUR 0,07 on 1 July 2013 and to EUR 0,06 on 1 July 2014. Without prejudice to Articles 13 and 19, the regulated maximum retail charge for the Euro-SMS tariff shall remain at EUR 0,106 until 30 June 2016.
Amendment 276 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
1. With effect from 1 July 2012 the average wholesale charge that the operator of a visited network may levy from the roaming customer's home provider for the provision of regulated data roaming services by means of that visited network shall not exceed a safeguard limit of EUR 0,230, EUR 0,217 as of 1 July 2013, EUR 0,10 as of 1 July 20134 and EUR 0,108 as of 1 July 20145 per megabyte of data transmitted. Without prejudice to Article 13 the maximum average wholesale charge for the provision of regulated data roaming services shall remain at EUR 0,108 per megabyte of data transmitted for the duration of this Regulation.
Amendment 288 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. With effect from 1 July 2012, the retail charge (excluding VAT) of a Euro-data tariff which a home provider may levy from its roaming customer for the provision of a regulated roaming data shall not exceed EUR 0,970 per megabyte. The price ceiling for data used shall decrease to EUR 0,70 and50, EUR 0,530, per megabyte used on 1 July 2013 and on 1 July 2014 respectively, and to EUR 0,25 on 1 July 2015. Without prejudice to Articles 13 and 19, the regulated maximum retail charge shall remain at EUR 0,250, per megabyte used until 30 June 2016.
Amendment 346 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Commission shall review the functioning of this Regulation and, after a public consultation, shall report to the European Parliament and the Council no later than 30 June 20156 . The Commission shall evaluate in particular whether the objectives of this Regulation have been achieved. In so doing, the Commission shall review, inter alia: