The European Parliament takes a stand in favour of the "Connected Continent" European telecoms market reform with a vote in favour of net neutrality and banning of mobile roaming charges.
"Today's vote is a great step towards strengthening the telecommunications single market," rapporteur Pilar del Castillo Vera says. "Parliament wants to abolish retail roaming charges for voice, SMS and data by 15 December 2015 and improve radio spectrum management to develop 4G and 5G throughout Europe."
According to telecoms regulator BEREC a number of providers block or slow down services such as Skype while promoting other services. Following reform providers can still offer tiered services of the video-on-demand or enterprise cloud variety, but only so long as these services are not supplied to "the detriment of the availability or quality of internet access services" offered to other companies or service suppliers.
Providers can also block or slow down internet access, but only according to a shortened list of "exceptional" cases-- specifically court order enforcement, network security preservation and temporary network congestion prevention-- but such measures must be "transparent, non-discriminatory and proportionate" and "not be maintained longer than necessary."
The EC has been working on net neutrality laws since 2013. The Euroepan approach contrast with the US, where a Washington appeals court decided against the upholding of FCC net neutrality regulations back on January 2014.
Meanwhile the EU also decided on call and data charges across the continent-- from 15 December 2015 European roaming charges will be over, including fees when travelling outside of one's home country.
Go Ensure Open Access for ISPs and Ban Roaming Fees Say MEPs
