Roaming will disappear from January 1 within the Andean Community

The “roaming” rates in mobile telephony will disappear from January 1 within the Andean Community (CAN) that make up Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, a measure that will benefit the 111 million people who inhabit the territory made up of these four countries.

The populations of the four CAN countries will be able to make their calls without surcharge within the community territory.

In this way, Bolivians, Colombians, Ecuadorians and Peruvians will not have to pay any additional surcharge for the international “roaming” service under the postpaid modality in the Community countries, the international organization reported in a statement on Monday.

The elimination of “roaming” will occur thanks to the entry into force of Decision 854, a supranational regulation approved on February 19, 2020, by the four countries and mandatory.

This rule establishes that, when a citizen of any of the countries of the Andean Community is in the territory of the other three countries, the same conditions and rates will be applied as the country of origin for voice, SMS and data services.

Historic decision

“This historic decision contributes to the efforts of the Andean Community countries to close the digital divide and fulfill the founding principle of our organization, which is to improve the quality of life of Andean citizens,” said the Secretary General of the CAN, the Colombian Jorge Hernando Pedraza.

The head of the organization stressed that the elimination of international “roaming” charges is in addition to the milestones recently reached by the CAN, such as the Andean Migration Statute and the Andean Environmental Charter.

Likewise, Pedraza also highlighted the application of the rule that facilitates the circulation of vehicles for private use by tourists, and the forthcoming implementation of the project that facilitates and digitizes commerce (Intercom).

In 2019, the Andean Community celebrated 50 years of its creation as the oldest integration mechanism in South America, from which other countries such as Chile and Venezuela have formed in previous years.

Among the achievements made during its first half century of existence, the Andean Community has established itself as a zone of free trade and free movement of people and has validated its fiscal schemes to avoid double taxation.