We talk about international communications when you call (with your fixed or mobile telephone) or send an SMS message from Belgium, to a foreign destination.
Beware! Do not confuse international communications with roaming, i.e. the use of your Belgian subscription/prepaid card when travelling abroad.
This distinction is important because national tariffs are applicable to roaming in the EU (and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). This is not the case for international communications to EU Member States (and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) the price of which is capped but higher than national tariffs.
Tariffs of international communications to the UE (and to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
The tariffs for international communications to the UE (and to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) may not, in principle, exceed the following amounts (VAT included):
- Calls: € 0.23 per minute;
- SMS: € 0.07 per SMS message.
These prince caps are only applicable to international calls/SMS that are billed based on the actual consumption.
Example: Mister X has taken out a mobile subscription including 200 call minutes and 500 SMS messages. These volumes are not applicable to international communications. Mister X can therefore only use these volumes to call and send SMS messages to Belgian numbers, or when he is roaming in the EU (i.e. travelling in the UE). If he wishes to make a call or send an SMS message from Belgium, to an EU Member State (and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), Mister X will be billed max. € 0.23 per call minute and € 0.07 per SMS message.
These caps do not apply if:
- Your tariff plan includes a call/SMS volume allocated to international communications;
Example: Mister X has taken out a mobile subscription including 200 call minutes and 500 SMS messages to use on national territory and while roaming, as well as 50 call minutes for calling abroad. - You have subscribed an add-on including a certain volume of international communications;
Example: Mister X has taken out a mobile subscription including 200 call minutes and 500 SMS messages to use on national territory and while roaming. Mister X has added to his subscription an add-on including 50 call minutes for calling abroad. - You have a professional subscription;
- Your operator has been granted a derogation by BIPT (no derogation has currently been granted by BIPT).
Switching from an alternative tariff to a regulated tariff
Operators may offer “alternative” tariffs, i.e. tariffs which can be offered in addition to the regulated tariffs. Alternative tariffs refer to services which are charged based on consumption and, including calls/SMS messages to UE (+Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) and non-EU Member States.
These tariffs can exceed regulated tariffs.
If you benefit from an alternative tariff and wish to switch to a regulated tariff, you must notify your operator. The latter must carry out the switch to a regulated tariff, free of charge, within one working day.
Tariffs of international communications to non-EU Member States (and other than Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
The tariffs of international communications (calls and SMS) to non-EU Member States (and other than Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) are not regulated. This means that operators can freely set the tariffs for these services.
Before contacting someone in a non-EU Member State (other than Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), we advise you to contact your operator in order to receive information concerning applicable tariffs.