[higherpurpose]

> The fair use safeguard also prevents, when necessary, abusive use of roaming services, such as 'permanent roaming', which otherwise could undermine domestic markets.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-5275_en.htm

Personally, I don't think this should exist. Imagine it saying in the US that the "fair use safeguard prevents people from using a cheaper cellphone service from another state".

That would be absurd right? I see it the same way in the EU. It's like they are trying to prevent competition within EU and maintain local monopolies. God forbid a carrier from one country could actually pose a threat to one in another country!

And I believe both the EU Commission and the majority of the EU Parliament is supposed to be "right-wing" this time around. They keep mentioning "Open Internet" as well, but there are a ton of exceptions in this new directive.

Günther Oettinger from the EU Commission has been the worst in this whole thing. He has been pushing for local ISP monopolies, extended customer lock-in and so on from the moment he became the Commissioner for Digital Economy. I think he's also supposed to be a free market, right-wing guy, but he's probably just corrupt.

https://gigaom.com/2014/11/07/let-isps-lock-their-customers-...

[icebraining]

It's like they are trying to prevent competition within EU and maintain local monopolies.

That's exactly the purpose of EU; regulate commerce by creating a system of quotas, preventing free competition but reducing the need for tariffs. Milk, cheese, produce, fishing, etc. This is perfectly in line with that idea.

And I believe both the EU Commission and the majority of the EU Parliament is supposed to be "right-wing" this time around.

Right-wing in a good part of Europe means they don't actively oppose regulated markets, not that they're free-market supporters. That's center-right, of course; actual right-wing usually means "fascist" (and opposes the EU itself).

Actual free-market supporters can't even get the required signatures to form a party in most European countries, let alone get elected.

[sveme]

This is the part that I don't understand. The original aim of the EU was to create a single domestic market. A year ago when the canceling of roaming charges was first proposed, no such safeguard was mentioned. So indirectly this would have really created a single domestic market with far-reaching consequences. Apparently the big telcoms managed to get their boy, Oettinger, to safeguard their small country markets from competition. Pisses me off.

[higherpurpose]

The original proposal by Neelie Kroes from the previous Commission looked great. The new Commission ruined a good part of it.

That said, it still establishes some ground rules, which are good for the most part. I just wish there weren't so many exceptions to them, and I fear at least some of them will be abused. We'll have to see how it goes.

However, if Netflix, Spotify or Youtube manage to get that "specialized service" privilege, then we'll know the rules don't work and will have to be changed. Because right now that is NOT what the EU proposal is saying the new rules will allow to happen.

The clearly worst part from all of this seems to be the zero-rating, which I don't think should exist at all as it's too easy to abuse and too hard to contain with regulations if it exists at all. Plus, whatever regulations are put around it will probably help the big guys anyway.

[blfr]

Don't American mobile providers strongly suggest another network (drop you) when you live or mostly use your phone in an area for which they only have roaming coverage (through an agreement with a different company)?

[ensignavenger]

Yes, I have known several people who have had this happen. One friend had a couple of kids away at college on his family plan- the company sent him a letter that they were canceling the 2 lines his kids used out of state (roaming), so he switched providers- they then wanted to charge him for breaking his contract! He sent a copy of the letter canceling the two lines and explained that they were the one canceling the contract.

[bwb]

I don't believe so, not in my exp.

This will probably lead to a TON of consolidation in the EU, and over the next 5 years you will end up with 4 to 5 big players.

[gsnedders]

> This will probably lead to a TON of consolidation in the EU, and over the next 5 years you will end up with 4 to 5 big players.

The markets are mostly dominated by companies with coverage of most of the EU already, really. Vodafone, T-Mobile, Telenor, Telefónica, Orange…