The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has coordinated the implementation of third phase of regulation on reducing the price caps for roaming charges within GCC countries, reported The Peninsula.

The new rates has been implemented as of April 1, 2018. The implementation of this regulation within the GCC started on April 1, 2016.

The regulation covers different services that consumers need while travelling outside the country like receiving and making voice calls, sending SMSs and using mobile data throughout the GCC countries, according to Qatar Tribune.

This year, the most significant decrease for consumers is the price cap for data roaming charges which have been reduced by 29.4% across the GCC and will further reduce in April each year until 2020.

This year has seen a reduction in charges of receiving voice calls while in roaming by 21.4% (from QR1.019/min to QR0.801/min).

While making local voice calls within the visited country is cheaper by 3.9% (QR0.910/min to QR0.874/min), making voice calls to other GCC countries (including home country) is cheaper by 3.2% (from QR2.257/min to qR2.184/min). 

Under the new rates, the roaming charges of mobile data has fallen drastically, from QR3.094/Mbyte to QR2.184/Mbyte.

While sending an SMS is cheaper by 14.5% (from QR0.255/SMS to QR0.218/SMS), receiving SMSs continue to remain free.

The prices caps are ceilings and service providers are free to compete by setting prices below these regulatory caps to provide more attractive offers to the consumers.