BucketOrange Magazine

Roam Like At Home: New Mobile Roaming Laws A Game Changer For EU Travel

Stephanie Triefus — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 02:00:08 +0000

When we’re at home, we’re pretty used to having internet access at all times. The price of mobile internet has dropped to a level where messaging over data is more common than SMS and, most likely, your dad even regularly video calls you at 9.00am on a Saturday. However, we don’t usually expect this kind of connectivity while overseas.

Travelling always includes some level of the ‘quest for wifi’, often consisting of loitering at a fast food joint, surrounded by the smell of capitalism, or sitting down at a cafe and pulling out your laptop only to notice one of those signs “We don’t have wifi, talk to each other!!!” Such is the life of a traveller who books flights, trains and hostels on the fly – a corresponding cost to the benefit of going with the flow.

New ‘Roam like at home’ wi-fi laws

Since March this year, sniffing out wifi is a dying art – at least in Europe. This wonderful development is called ‘Roam like at home’, and it is exactly what it sounds like.

The new laws mean that if you have a SIM card from an EU country, there are no additional roaming charges when you use your phone in another EU country, and some providers have extended the deal to other countries such as Israel and the Channel Islands.

Roam like at home rules cover data as well as SMS and calls to home country numbers. For about $25 per month, you can get 5GB of data which is enough to regularly use maps, stream music, watch the occasional video and call home to ask your grandma for her pesto recipe.

Calls to EU countries not included in the scheme

Calls and texts to other EU country numbers are not included and can be expensive, but this can usually be circumvented by messaging and calling over the internet. There are data limits and a “fair use policy” which means that you cannot roam indefinitely. These are, however, aimed at preventing people from finding the cheapest plan in the EU and using it full time at home.

As with any consumer contract, it is important that you read the fine print and fully understand the inclusions and exclusions before going nuts with your calls and texts.

Benefits for your next Europe adventure

So how has this constant internet connectivity changed travel forever?

Well, your dad can continue his habit of video calling you at 9.00am on a Saturday morning no matter where you are in Europe. But the benefits don’t stop there. Say goodbye to buying a new SIM card every time you cross an EU border.

Getting lost is a thing of the past, as mobile internet gives you maps and step-by-step directions at your fingertips. Hungry? You can not only find a restaurant but also find one that does those skinny fries that you like. Book accommodation while you are on a bus on the way to the airport. Use mobile check-in for your flights and use your phone as a boarding pass. Share a sunset with your loved ones in real-time. Watch your nephew read the book you bought him online while waiting in line at the supermarket. If you’re one of those slashies (e.g. lawyer/entrepreneur/yoga teacher) running a business while you travel, you can bring your communication costs right down.

Downsides of hyper-connectivity

Some of the unknown element, mystery and excitement of exploring new places is gone as getting lost is a thing of the past.

Some of the most profound and challenging moments on the road happen when you have no idea where you are all your plans have turned upside down. If you have the self-control, you can just turn off your phone, leave it in your luggage and try to remember the sense of direction you gave away when you downloaded your maps app.

Other drawbacks include that feeling of despair for humanity when you look up from your phone and everyone in your line of sight has their head bent towards a glowing rectangle; your friends and family expect to hear from you several times a day and worry if they don’t; and you feel a weird twist in your gut when you see someone experiencing a sunset through a social media filter.

These are not the only disadvantages of ‘roam like at home’.

The reduction in income from roaming will impact small telco operators more than large ones and, in some cases, the changes have driven the cost of phone contracts up.

EU initiatives such as this have alienated some sections of the British population, and many people voted for Brexit because they feel that their taxes and their higher phone bills are subsidising the lifestyle of wealthy people who zip around Europe as a matter of course. ‘Roam like at home’ has been called a publicity stunt and a gamble by a conflicted EU with the potential costs unknown. Of course, no one knows how Brexit will affect the UK’s participation in the scheme.

Despite the criticisms, ‘Roam like at home’ is here, and it will change your experience of travelling through Europe.

Just remember to look up every once in awhile.

#bucketOpinion: Can There Be Any ‘True’ Refugees In A Migrant Crisis?

bucketorange — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 08:19:55 +0000

2015 has been a year of mass migrations.

Between January to August 2015, 350,000 irregular migrants entered Europe. An estimated 800,000 migrants seeking asylum are expected to arrive in Germany alone this year.

With only four mass migrations occurring in Europe in recorded history, what can be done with so many people in a modern migrant crisis?

And who can pick a true refugee within the context of mass flows of people into Europe from middle eastern countries in war situations or experiencing political or social upheaval?

What Caused The Migrant Crisis And What Is Europe Doing About It?

According to BBC News, the mass exodus of people from the Middle East and Africa is being fuelled mainly by civil war and terror with conflicts raging in Syria and Afghanistan as well as human rights abuses in Eritrea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhBlYwxcaLY

What Is A Refugee?

Under the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees, a refugee is:

Any person who, owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country.”

If it were possible to identify many of the people fleeing into Europe as refugees under the Refugees Convention and Protocol, what recognition under these international instruments should now be given to them? What protection should be afforded to them and what can, and should, be done for them as well as the large number of people who have been dubbed migrants rather than refugees?

Australia’s Position

Australia’s past response to a mass influx of people from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Burma and Sri Lanka in ‘turning back the boats’ was successful. It did, however, sublimate our international convention obligations by denying many true refugees the protection to which they were entitled.

At the time, this deliberate avoidance of our international obligation was, perhaps, considered ‘justifiable’ in order to save the lives of many people, including families undertaking such a dangerous sea voyage.

Which raises the question: Is this stance a proper or permanent position for Australia to adopt? According to international or domestic law, can we lawfully (or even morally) maintain this position while still adhering to our current international refugee obligations? The jury is still out on these questions.

Is There A Solution For Europe?

Whatever the legality or morality of Australia’s policy position on refugees, this type of ‘turn back the boats’ response is simply not available to landlocked European countries which are now desperate to find a viable solution for hundreds of thousands of people arriving at their borders daily.

Short of using unpleasant or violent state measures, there is no way to physically prevent mass people movements into Europe across open EU borders.

The migrant crisis is unlikely to improve in the near future without regime change, or complete political and economic solutions emerging overnight in countries being fled.

Who Are The True Refugees?

It is impossible for anyone to say now how many of these desperate people from war torn or repressive Middle Eastern countries are genuine refugees. But does it matter what label is given to them?

For Germany, France, the UK or other affected countries, there is no way to assess such numbers of people properly under their usual refugee assessment processes. Any attempt to do so would take many years and result in significant cost to affected countries, the claimants and their families.

Even Australia faces a herculean administrative and expensive task, under well-developed refugee assessment procedures, to resolve the refugee claims of tens of thousands of boat people who arrived in Australia more than two years ago. Refugee claimants who were removed to Nauru and Papua New Guinea are also still to be resolved.

Legal Change Needed

It is clear that the idea and legal definition of who is a refugee and, therefore, entitled to protection is no longer viable in 2015.

In recent years, Australia has introduced an additional form of protection called Complementary Protection. This is an extension of protection that can be given to asylum seekers. It is used for people who were not previously recognised as a refugee under Australia’s refugee assessment process, but whom the Minister finds substantial grounds for believing that they could face a real risk of suffering significant harm if removed from Australia. This is a positive step forward but does not go far enough.

Mass movements of people across the globe in response to political, social and economic crises as well as religious persecution that is unique to the 21st century require a new and robust solution.

Conclusion

The global approach to who is entitled to refugee protection, or other forms of protection, is in pressing need of review.

It is time for the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), perhaps, to review the obsolete definition of who is entitled to refugee protection and what obligations are imposed on countries that have ratified the Refugees Convention and Protocol.

Most importantly, the UNHCR needs to make a strong case to the United Nations for nation states to:

find effective and enforceable solutions to mass people movements
strive to remove their root causes more effectively; and
resolve to develop ways to help people in need in their home countries.

This should be a priority, regardless of whether persons seeking asylum qualify for protection under the current outdated refugee definition; or under a new definition; or simply because law and order is breaking down in their home country and remaining there is not feasible without serious threat to life.

What do you think Governments should do about mass movements of people into their countries? Is there an easy answer, or will this issue continue to be placed in the ‘too hard’ basket? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!