EU roaming charge cut could increase prices in Estonia, says EMT
The EU recently announced that data roaming charges will be abolished within the union by June 2017, but according to Eesti Telekom, prices in Estonia could increase as a result, as data communications costs are among the lowest here.
“On the whole, it is an idea which supports a common European economic area and those businessmen and individuals who operate across borders will win the most. But in Estonia the drop in prices while abroad could mean price increases on the domestic market for local consumers, as Estonian data communication costs are among the lowest in Europe,” Kaja Sepp, the head of communication at Eesti Telekom, the parent company of EMT, explained.
Argo Virkebau, head of Tele2 in Estonia, said the move was a matter of time and is clearly in the interests of the consumer. He added that previous price drops have resulted in more usage, thus keeping the revenues of communications companies at the same level.
He added that Tele2 users in Estonia use around 140 megabits of data on an average trip, 400 percent more than a year ago and one of the highest figures in Europe. Virkebau said all member states will have to approve the EU law before it can take effect.
Editor: J.M. Laats