Roaming without worries: protect yourself and save!
Automatically translated summary. The full text is available in Romanian.
As cross-border travel grows, mobile users in the Republic of Moldova risk involuntary roaming at unpredictable and sometimes very high rates. This consumer note, produced by the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup”, explains the legal conditions for using roaming and how to avoid unintended charges, including the Roam Like at Home regime starting in 2026.
On 22 September 2023, maximum retail price caps for roaming calls and data were approved, and from 1 January 2024 operators began including roaming minutes and data in their plans. On 25 July 2025, the EU Council decided to integrate Moldova into the Roam Like at Home zone, effective 1 January 2026 across the European Economic Area (EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway).
The benefit depends on a fair use policy: Moldovan residence or a stable link to the country, only occasional travel, no higher roaming use than at home over at least 4 months, and respecting national plan limits under RLAH. Operators may check usage and, if they suspect abuse, warn users and apply surcharges after two weeks. The tariffs do not apply in places such as Northern Cyprus, Switzerland, Albania, Serbia, or on maritime and aeronautical networks.
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