Australia consults on international mobile roaming standard
International mobile roaming (IMR) occurs when consumers use telephone or internet services overseas via their Australian mobile service provider. Consumers keep the same SIM card in their mobile devices, and access to overseas mobile networks is available through agreements linking their Australian mobile service provider with overseas mobile network owners.
Charges for IMR activities like voice calling, SMS, internet browsing and video streaming can be much higher than charges for the same activities in Australia. The significant differences between the domestic charges and overseas charges can lead to ‘bill shock’, where customers receive unexpectedly high bills for IMR services.
Currently, MVNOs must provide customers with: australia international mobile roaming standard
- pre-travel information at the time they are provided with an IMR service:
- including details about maximum charges in the top 10 destination countries for Australians
- explaining how the customer can request maximum charge information for other countries
- detailing the IMR spend-management tools available
- setting out how to decline IMR services from overseas
- an ACMA fact sheet on alternatives to IMR services.
In 2016, the Standard was varied to further delay the commencement of full obligations for MVNOs. The intention was to postpone those obligations until after the 2018 review, to consider the extension of the obligations to resellers in light of consumer experiences.
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Under the present IMR Standard, the requirement to provide pre-departure information would be replaced by the requirement for MVNOs to provide the full suite of protections from 1 January 2019.
Since the introduction of the IMR Standard, there have been a number of changes in the market, which may impact how consumers use mobile devices when travelling overseas. These include:
- specialized service offerings for consumers, such as international roaming supplements or packages
- free public internet access has become more widely available overseas, which reduces the need for consumers to rely on IMR services
- alternatives to conventional messaging and voice services have emerged, providing potentially cheaper options for making voice calls and sending messages.
The ACMA is keen to understand whether the IMR Standard has been, and remains an efficient and effective safeguard. The ACMA welcomes comment on any aspect of the IMR Standard and its operation, and is particularly interested in views on:
- whether environmental and market changes suggest that the IMR Standard should be changed
- the effectiveness of consumer notifications required under the Standard
- the mode of delivery for consumer notifications
- the application of obligations in the IMR Standard to MVNOs.
