The cost of roaming for Europe, which allows you to use your mobile phone normally abroad, will fall in 2024 for operators, which could increase the data envelope (GB) of mobile plans.
This is good news for all those who travel abroad regularly, or who are planning a long stay in Europe in the coming months. As of 1er January 2024, the wholesale prices that EU mobile operators charge each other for their customers’ travel will significantly decrease, as far as data is concerned. This therefore means that Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile and all the other operators will pay less for the GB that they offer you as part of roaming. Potentially, this could benefit you.
The GB roaming price will drop significantly for telecom operators in 2024
In 2023, a French operator bought 1 GB (gigabyte) from one of its competitors located in the European Economic Area (EEA), let’s say Telefonica if you are staying in Spain, at the price of 1.80 euros. From 1er January 2024, the price of this same GB will fall to 1.55 euros, a drop of around 14%. You already understand the rest.
In theory therefore, and if French operators do not want to bring too much competition into play, it is probable, at least possible, that they will align themselves, if only partially, with this reduction. As a reminder, the price per gigabyte is calculated by dividing the tax-free price of a mobile plan by the wholesale price, then multiplying everything by two.
For a package of 11 euros excluding tax, the operator should include a 14 GB envelope. But practice differs almost systematically from theory.
It’s only a beginning !
With such a drop in the price per gigabyte, we can therefore count on an increase in data envelopes for your trips abroad, in other words an increase in GB for the European Union. The limitation of this great news is that it only applies to the 27 Member States of the European Union, to which we must add Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Concerning Switzerland and Andorra, even if some like Orange and SFR add them in some of their packages, the operators nevertheless retain the freedom to charge roaming costs.
Regarding the possible increase in roaming GB within the EU, know that the story is not over. Imagine that in 2018, the price per GB was set at 6 euros between operators. Tomorrow at 1.55 euros, it is expected that the latter will gradually fall to 1 euro no later than the 1ster January 2017. By then, it will drop to 1.30 euros in 2025, and 1.10 euros in 2026.
Source : ARCEP
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