In 2019, additional charges for the use of roaming covered a larger number of subscribers compared to the previous year. On the other hand, a smaller number of operators were granted approval by UKE for their use. The maximum levels of additional charges were also reduced. Despite that, the largest operators recorded a positive margin for the provision of roaming services. Poland roaming surcharge revenues

The Roam Like at Home (RLAH) regulation applies from June 15, 2017. It requires telecommunications operators to settle roaming services on the same terms as in the user’s home country. However, an operator incurring a loss of more than 3 percent of the mobile service margin may request permission from the President of UKE to apply additional roaming charges.

In 2017 and 2018, all operators who made such a request received consent. Last year, two infrastructure operators were not authorized to apply additional roaming charges. In addition, operators who received consent were required to apply lower maximum surcharges than in previous periods. Proceedings regarding two decisions are still ongoing.

The operators’ revenues from additional charges increased in total from 31.4 million PLN in 2018 to 68.5 million PLN in 2019. This is due to the higher volume of services covered by the charges and the larger number of consumers to whom they were applied (the value increased from 12.6% up to 16.1%). The average sum of additional payments increased from 17.28 PLN to 29.04 PLN in 2018.

The largest operators on the Polish mobile telecommunications market have recorded a positive margin for the provision of roaming services. The cost of unbalanced wholesale traffic is also falling. This is mainly due to lower wholesale rates and an improved balance between data transmission generated by roaming users and visitors compared to the previous year.

Surcharges Poland roaming surcharge revenues

Compared to the previous year, a larger percentage of roaming users were subject to surcharges (16.1% vs. 12.6%). The share of traffic covered by them also increased similarly, e.g. in the case of data transmission by 9.2pp (15.6% vs. 6.4%). The total revenues of operators in this respect increased from EUR 7.3 million in 2018 to EUR 15.9 million in 2019.
Two of the infrastructure operators have not received further decisions authorizing the use of roaming surcharges, and the maximum caps allowed by positive decisions are lower than in the previous cycle. The proceedings regarding the other two decisions are still pending.

Use of roaming

The increase in the use of data transmission services in mobile networks remains unchanged – either domestically and in roaming.
This trend is observed for Polish users but also for visitors in Poland. The list of main member states in which the roaming traffic is generated does not change.

Roaming financial results Poland roaming surcharge revenues

The situation of the largest operators on the Polish mobile telephony market has improved since the first year of RLAH – we are seeing a positive margin for roaming services, as well as a decreasing cost of unbalanced traffic, mainly thanks to lower wholesale rates, but also as an effect of the improved over last year balance between the volume of data transmission consumed by roaming users and visitors.