Scarlet COMPLETELY abolishes roaming costs for all its customers

Scarlet, the Belgian low-cost telecom provider, is completely abolishing its roaming costs for all EU countries as of 29 April.  This action fits in with the company's philosophy of offering simple packages at the best price: “45% of Belgians switch off roaming while traveling in the EU because they don't know how much it’ll cost them and are afraid of running up a huge bill. With the abolition of roaming costs, Scarlet customers will benefit, as of 29 April, in the whole of the EU, from the same rates as in Belgium. We offer our customers transparency, which is what they expect from us,” says Bruno Delhaise, Managing Director of Scarlet.

Scarlet is the first Belgian telecom provider to completely abolish roaming costs for all its customers.

Last year, the company already lowered the costs of its subscription packagesⁱ. The abolition of roaming costs in the EU was an obvious next step. Scarlet is the first Belgian telecom provider to completely abolish its roaming costs. What does this mean for customers with a subscription? When customers use their mobile phone abroad, in the EU, their usage (in minutes, texts or data) is first deducted from the minutes, texts and data included in their subscription, at no extra cost. If customers exceed their monthly allowance, the national rates will apply (€0.16 per minute, €0.07 per text, and €0.05 per MB). As if they were using their mobile phone in Belgium.

 

Did you know?

• 45% of Belgians switch off roaming while traveling in the EU: 21% switch off their mobile phone completely and 25% switch off the roaming function.
• 23% of Belgian respondents never call while abroad, and 57% reduce their calling behavior.
• Only 27% of Belgian respondents text abroad as much as they do in Belgium.
• On average, 4 in 10 don't send or receive e-mails or use social media or messaging services while abroad. 25% reduce their usage of these data services.

_{Source: the latest Special Eurobarometer 414
e-Communications Household Survey – January 2014}

 

Customers with a prepaid card will also be able to call, text and surf within the EU for the same rates as in Belgium (€0.10 per minute, €0.04 per text, and €0.10 per MB). The reload bonus is valid in Belgium only.

Permanent access to Scarlet’s telecom services for the same price, anywhere in the EU

With this new offer, Scarlet wants to respond positively to the popularity of traveling within the EUⁱⁱ, and the reluctance of Belgians to use roaming abroad (cf. latest Special Eurobarometer 414).  

Scarlet customers don't have to do anything to benefit from this new offer. They will be informed about it via a personal e-mail, the website and marketing channels (TV, radio, and banners). Moreover, customers will receive a text message when they go abroad, informing them that they can surf, text and call for the same rates as in Belgium.

This offer is limited to normal private use. This excludes the use of roaming in an EU country for 45 days or more per year. If this threshold is exceeded, Scarlet will apply the maximum legally permissible surcharge (6/2/6 cents per min/text/MB) after duly notifying the customer.

Note to the editor

On 20 April 2016, Scarlet also began selling suntan lotions and snorkeling sets. Today, Bruno Delhaise explains why in a video message: Link to the Press moment.
The fact that Scarlet, the Belgian low-cost operator, is abolishing its roaming costs will not go unnoticed. The products are available until the end of May 2016 in the pop-up store on the Meir shopping street (at No. 57) in Antwerp and in Joker travel agencies. You can also order the products online via www.scarlet.be, while supplies last.

 

For press enquiries, please contact Haroun Fenaux at 0474 60 03 33 or Jan Margot at 0475 58 50 37 (press@scarlet.biz).

 

_{[i] Postpaid: January 2014: launch of new subscriptions; June 2015: increase in number of texts in the subscription / Prepaid: lowest national rates for calling, surfing, and texting (€0.10/min; €0.04/text; €0.10/MB including bonus texts and Scarlet-to-Scarlet calling minutes).}

_{[ii] Algemene Directie Statistiek België (FPS Economy, Directorate-General Statistics Belgium): http://statbel.fgov.be/nl/modules/publications/statistiques/arbeidsmarkt_levensomstandigheden/reisonderzoek_-_2014.jsp}