From January 1, 2020 the gigs available to users traveling abroad will increase: here's everything you need to know
Roaming at Home is the new buzzword involving citizens of the European Union: it encompasses the set of rules that oblige telephone operators to offer people visiting a European country the same rates used in their own country. The adjustment of prices is therefore to the advantage of the user who does not have to pay extra just because it connects from a country other than his own.
For a couple of years now, roaming costs are no longer prohibitive for those who travel abroad: you use the minutes and gigs of your phone subscription, without having to spend extra euros. Logically, there are limitations regarding data traffic: if we have 60GB in our monthly subscription, we can't use them all abroad. There is a special formula that allows you to calculate exactly how many gigs you can use abroad, a quota that changes from year to year and increases over time. And it will be the same in 2020: from January 1, the cost of data traffic abroad will decrease, allowing users to use even more gigs.
Roaming: costs from 2020
The news, as it happened in 2019, concern the adjustment of tariffs, and in particular those for internet traffic. Initially, the price was 7.7 euros/GB but over the years it has been continuously reduced. In 2020, it will adjust again, arriving at 3.5 euros per GB; while in 2022, an even lower figure is expected: 2.5 euros per gigabyte offered.
At the same time as prices, the traffic offered to users will also change. In order to understand how many GBs are available in roaming, there is a precise formula: you have to calculate the cost of the offer (excluding VAT) divided by the cost per GB, and then multiply the total by two.
Unfortunately, this threshold will rise in the coming years, especially for all users who have a higher monthly fee. In other words: the more you pay, the more GB you have available even abroad. In Italy, some operators offer the same amount of GB even to those who travel, so there will be no difference between the rate and the GB proposed by the company. To be on the safe side, it is advisable to contact your operator before a trip: knowing the tariffs and the relative GB available allows you to move with more serenity.
Roaming at Home: when will the new rules be applied?
The change in tariffs will be applied from January 1, 2020, but some operators have been offering the possibility of using a greater amount of data while roaming for a few weeks.