Charges for surfing the internet on smartphones while travelling in the European Union have been cut by half as new rules come into force today.

This will make it cheaper to catch up with emails, download music, pour over the World Cup highlights or update our status when travelling abroad, or if crossing the border into the Republic of Ireland.

From today (July1) you should be charged no more than to €0.19 (around 15p) per minute excluding VAT to make a call while in a European country.

The cost of receiving a call should be no more than €0.05 (around 4p) per minute excluding VAT, while the price of sending a text should cost no more than €0.06 (around 5p) per text.

The cost of using your phone to get online in the EU has also been cut.

Mobile phone companies must charge no more than 20 cents (around 16p) per megabyte of data, plus VAT – down from 45 cents currently.

All mobile operators have to apply a cut-off limit once you have used €50 (around £40) of data per month, wherever you travel in the world unless you choose another limit. The operator must stop charging for data when you reach the cut-off limit, unless you agree to continue to use data.

It should be noted that Switzerland and Turkey are not covered by the euro-tariff caps so you could be charged more for using your mobile in these countries.

Since 2007, European leaders have brought in changes to cut the fees in stages, aiming to eliminate them entirely.

“This huge drop in data roaming prices will make a big difference to all of us this summer," said Neelie Kroes, the EU telecoms commissioner. However, she wants to see roaming charges completely abolished, saying: “Why should we have roaming charges at all in a single market? By the end of this year I hope we see the complete end of roaming charges agreed – the parliament has done their part, now it is up to member states to seal the deal!” Sinn Fein MLA Phil Flanagan welcomed the news, telling ImpartialReporter.com: "Roaming charges have a deeply negative impact on customers and business along the border in areas like Fermanagh, whereby people are discouraged from crossing the border or even going near it for fear of incurring significant charges.

"The operators have told customers to turn off their phones to save money instead of them ending roaming charges once and for all." He concluded: "As a result of the failure of mobile phone operators to address the issue of excessive roaming rates, the European Commission has once again stepped in to legislate on this matter." An Ofcom spokesman told Impartial Reporter.com: “Lower mobile roaming rates in Europe and special tariffs introduced by some operators over the last two years have helped reduce and, in some cases, remove altogether the cost of inadvertent roaming for people living in border areas of Northern Ireland.

"Earlier this year Ofcom welcomed steps taken by mobile operators to protect customers from inadvertent roaming charges. There are now a range of measures in place including special tariffs and technical innovations to help consumers. More information can be found in a special leaflet on inadvertent roaming, which is available in the 'Guides and Tools' section of our website.”