The end of traveling prices within the European Union was a small revolution. From now on, a European mobile subscriber can have access to a mobile connection on its intelligent telephone without cost wherever it is in the old continent.
But if Europe requires a user to have a similar connection (in 4G or 5G) in a foreign country as if it were in their country of origin, this does not mean that the experience is satisfactory. This is in any case what reveals a study commissioned by the European Commission and directed by Mozark (with its 5GMark application).
This shows that in 80% of cases, the discharge speed when using European roaming is much slower than if it were a subscriber of the operator through which the network uses. To this is added a slower load speed of 68% and a much higher latency in 90% of cases.
Problem: When the measurement has been established, the European Union promised a use “as at home”, which is definitely not the case.
The complexity of roaming in question …
Questioned by the Tribune, Jérôme Hardouin, Technical Director of Roaming in Orange, explains that this is linked to the complexity of the system: “Let’s imagine that you arrive in Poland. Your phone will hang the radio network visited, but then, then there will be an authentication mechanism with your operator in France to discover if you have the right to present yourself in this network, verify if it is eligible to be eligible.”
While all this is being done, it can happen for ten minutes after passing an edge to find a connection, says Mozark’s study.
A longer delay, since it also depends on the type of antenna. To prevent an operator from overflowing too much in a country where it is not present, specific antennas are implemented.
For the data, Orange also explains that the roaming consists mainly to the confines of the data made to the original operator. Therefore, a technical challenge that has been, which in fact slows its connection.
… but also commercial agreements
If operators defend what they can, the reasons for these problems are not all technical. The study also explains that trade agreements are involved, especially with local operators who prefer to prioritize a user who lives in the country instead of a tourist.
A surprising observation that is contrary to European rules, while the last 2022 update specifies the need for a “quality level abroad”, but only “when this is technically possible.”
Given this contradiction, the European Commission prefers to refer to the regulators of each country, which can then opt for an adjustment of the regulations. ARCEP, which is competent in this issue in France, explains that it is relatively helpless in the absence of criteria within Roaming regulations.
Source: BFM TV
