In 2020, 189,069 users were registered who used the international roaming service.
Paúl Zamora frequently travels to New York (United States) and Colombia for medical treatment. Tried the service roaming international, but it did not benefit him. He says that in two days he spent $20.
Then he preferred to buy a chip at the Quito airport, every time he traveled. The chip included a mega plan to communicate with his family. Sometimes I would pay $40 or $50 and it would last a month. His trips are usually several weeks, he even plans to go to Colombia in February.
The 34-year-old journalist was unaware that since January 1, the collections of roaming international in the countries of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN). These are Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
That is, Zamora, like other citizens they will no longer have to pay any additional surcharge for postpaid service in those countries.
“I did not know, I was unaware of this measure and I think it is necessary to socialize because it seems positive to me,” says Zamora.
The measure arises after Decision 854 of the CAN that establishes the guidelines for the provision of the service of the roaming international between the four countries. The rule mentions the conditions for the reduction and subsequent elimination of differential rates for the provision of this service.
A more connected Andean Community in 2022
This implies that, without an additional fee, users of postpaid mobile services will be able to use SMS, voice and data services in the visited country.
According to the CAN, it benefits 111 million inhabitants of the region. “This historic Decision 854 contributes to the efforts of the CAN countries to efficiently and effectively close the digital divide and comply with the founding principle of our organization, which is to improve the quality of life of Andean citizens,” affirmed the general secretary of the CAN, Jorge Hernando Pedraza.
In Ecuador, there are about 3.5 million users in the postpaid mode, according to the Ministry of Telecommunications.
In 2020, 189,069 users were registered who used the service of roaming international.
“It should be noted that to access this benefit the operator does not matter. However the roaming International will only be activated by providers if the user requests it through any of the service mechanisms”, says the Ministry of Telecommunications.
And indeed, if a citizen under the postpaid modality decides to travel to Colombia, Peru and Bolivia must contact the operator to activate the roaming and make this advantage viable.
From Claro Ecuador, the user must request activation at any customer service center or by calling *611. And in Telefónica Movistar through the WhatsApp chat (0999001140), *001 or using automatic contracting methods such as the Mi Movistar App and *123#.
4.1 million active lines will benefit from reduced international roaming costs in Ecuador
The rates, before the measure adopted by the CAN, were varied, according to the operator. For example, Claro had the minute of calls and SMS at a price of 10 cents of a dollar plus taxes.
Telefónica Movistar had packages of full data at $3.99 plus tax per day and full chat at $1.99 plus tax and also per day. Voice and SMS rates for these countries were for outgoing calls at $0.10 plus tax per minute; incoming calls $0.40 and text messages sent $0.10 per message.
As for the controls of the application of the measure, the Ministry of Telecommunications indicated that the Agency for the Regulation and Control of Telecommunications has requested advanced mobile service operators the delivery of information that supports compliance with the resolution. As well as the publication of Community Decision 854 on its web pages.
This newspaper carried out a search and the operators include the measure. Telefónica Movistar contemplates it in its section on roaming international, and when selecting a CAN country, a file is opened indicating the measure. In Claro Ecuador it is also in the section roaming, in the Andean Community item.
By February, according to the Ministry of Telecommunications, inspections will be made to the billing platforms to analyze the details of text messages, calls, data, in order to validate the correct application of the standard.
“It should be emphasized that the tariff control will be carried out in February because it is required that the users of roaming access the service during January, their billing is generated and it can be evidenced that the service was not charged”, says the State portfolio. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
