Roaming Russia: regulator plans more sanctions for on-net roaming charges
The Overview of the Russian roaming market roaming russia
The Russian roaming market is regulated by the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), which aims to promote competition and prevent anti-competitive behavior among mobile operators. In August 2017, the FAS ordered the operators of the Big Four to eliminate the difference in tariffs in the home region and when traveling around the country.
The operators were given a deadline of January 31, 2018, to comply with the FAS’s order. However, MegaFon, MTS, and VimpelCom did not comply, leading to the FAS filing antitrust cases against them.
In contrast, Europe has implemented several regulations to eliminate roaming charges for EU citizens traveling within the European Union. The European Union’s “Roam Like at Home” initiative has been in effect since June 2017, allowing EU citizens to use their mobile phone plans without incurring additional roaming charges while traveling within the EU.
In terms of services, Russian operators offer a range of roaming packages, including unlimited data, voice, and SMS for a fixed daily fee. However, these packages can be expensive compared to the roaming rates offered by European operators.
Overall, the Russian roaming market is still in the process of eliminating the differences in tariffs between home regions and when traveling around the country, while Europe has implemented regulations to eliminate roaming charges for EU citizens. Additionally, Russian roaming packages can be expensive compared to European roaming rates.