EU Proposes New Wholesale Data Roaming Caps
The draft regulation aims to lower wholesale charges to 40 euro cents per gigabyte by 2031 to drive competition.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Telecommunications
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Should governments set lower caps on what telecom providers can charge for roaming data?
European Parliament lawmaker Michał Kobosko has proposed a reduction in wholesale data roaming caps for telecom operators. The initiative aims to lower the costs that carriers charge one another to carry roaming data, a move intended to foster cross-border competition.
Why it matters
By lowering the wholesale floor, the proposal aims to help smaller telecommunications providers compete across borders while reducing potential roaming surcharges for the public. This regulation is currently at the proposal stage as part of an ongoing overhaul of EU telecom rules.
The proposal introduces an initial wholesale data roaming cap of 65 euro cents per gigabyte, with a scheduled reduction to 40 euro cents per gigabyte by 2031. These figures establish the maximum rate an operator can charge a rival for mobile data access.
The players
Michał Kobosko
European Parliament lawmaker leading the current overhaul of EU telecommunications regulations.
Deutsche Telekom
A major European integrated telecommunications company that manages extensive mobile and fiber-optic network infrastructure.
Vodafone Group
A multinational telecommunications conglomerate providing mobile, broadband, and enterprise connectivity across Europe.
Orange
A global telecommunications provider with a significant mobile subscriber base and network footprint within the European Union.
Telefónica
A large Spanish telecommunications firm that operates wide-reaching mobile and fixed-line networks.
The details
The caps regulate the wholesale rates that operators—such as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Group, Orange, and Telefónica—charge competing carriers for data usage when a subscriber roams outside their home network. By limiting these inter-company settlement fees, the draft report seeks to prevent large incumbents from inflating costs that typically trickle down to users. This mechanism directly influences the competitive margin available to smaller mobile virtual network operators and regional carriers operating across the EU.
Timeline
October 21, 2026: The proposal was introduced by lawmaker Michał Kobosko.
2031: The wholesale data roaming cap is projected to reach 40 euro cents per gigabyte.
The Tech Race
This proposal follows a long-standing series of EU roaming regulations designed to harmonize pricing across member states. It represents the latest attempt to adjust wholesale price caps to prevent market dominance by large network operators.
These wholesale caps determine the underlying costs that companies face when routing data internationally. While not a direct consumer price, lower wholesale fees increase the incentive for carriers to offer more competitive roaming packages to their subscribers.
The takeaway
The move signals a continued legislative focus on reducing inter-operator costs to drive down consumer-facing prices. Observers should track the legislative progress of the draft report to see if the proposed 2031 target remains intact during committee review.
Further reading
For broader context on market trends and regulatory shifts, see our coverage of Telecommunications.
Live Poll
Should governments set lower caps on what telecom providers can charge for roaming data?
