Press News

Budapest, May 17, 2005

On 6 May 2005 Axelero Internet was re-branded to T-Online Hungary. Parallel with the re-branding, T-Online renewed its product portfolio, and introduced innovative contents better tailored to individual needs. The Company organises and supports large-scale programs for the launching of and raising awareness about the new brand T-Online.

"The internet is continuously evolving. Its role in telecommunications is changing - it is becoming more and more determinant -, internet use is changing along the increase of band width, and user habits are changing. Our Company has live up to these changes, and go through a change itself accordingly. T-Online is the youngest, but most dynamically growing company within the Hungarian Telekom Group. Apart from the changes, T-Online intends to keep its leading role, and stick to its corporate values: being dynamic, innovative, friendly and keeping things simple" - stated György Simó, CEO of T-Online Hungary on a press conference organised on the Global Internet Day.

Parallel with the re-branding, T-Online is renewing its product portfolio, launching new contents and places more emphasis on the smooth servicing of clients.

New, wide band product portfolio

During May, the previous ADSL speed in the servicing area of Hungarian Telekom increased to 1, 2, 3 Megabit/s, thanks to which T-Online managed to double the speed of its wide band internet connections. At the same time, the cabelnet packages and speeds being newly sold by T-Online are also changing, with a structure suiting the new ADSL packages and speeds. The adjustment of ADSL speeds is on-going, the contracts will get amended as from 23 May, and the new and old ADSL packages already reflect the increased band width.

Wide band internet now available from HUF 3,250 per month

Simultaneous with the re-branding T-Online is launching new, wide band packages. The new product portfolio was created based on a previous wide-scale research, as a result of which the most popular content elements were built into the packages. The product portfolio is made simpler, however, contents-wise wider. The new portfolio will suit all user needs and habits. The fee structure will be more favourable, and T-Online will offer the new ADSL packages as part of a special offer all through Summer.
The new, low monthly fee 'Start' package is a good step for beginners and cost sensitive internet users, as it provides a wide band, quality internet access at a very favourable price, HUF 6,500 per month gross.
In terms of the 'Biztonság' ('Safety') package, the anti-virus program is now a core element, more and more needed due to the increasing virus and spam flow.
Families now also have an individually tailored offer. With the 'Család' ('Family') package, children can access the internet without any concern, by using the 'Axer' internet access for children, as this browser is equipped with a child friendly user surface only allowing an access for pages approved by the parents. The 'Család' package also includes virus protection, therefore this large band width connection provides a solution for each family member.
The 'Multimédia' package is essentially for users, for whom fast downloading and large band width is important. Such internet users use the internet primarily for leisure purposes, therefore this package is planned to be launched parallel with increasing the contents on the T-Online portal.
A new product on the market is the 2 Megabit/s wireless connection. The 'WLAN' package includes the necessary wireless equipment, while shipment and installation is also part of the subscription. The benefit offered by this package is that users are able to connect to the internet via a wide band at any place within their flat. In the 'WLAN' package the monthly fee decreases upon the expiry /renewal of the subscription.

It is also new for the existing customers that now they can change the ending of their e-mail address. All e-mail addresses ending with axelero.hu will remain in use for another two years, however, by a simple amendment - information on which is provided on the www.t-online.hu site - the new address, ending with t-online.hu, can also be used. The same applies for 'company name.axelero.hu' type web addresses. Parallel with the re-branding, T-Online significantly increased the size of storing areas, so the capacity now available to customers is 50-100-200 Mbyte, depending on the specific package.

Innovation in contents development

Based on surveys conducted, those who decide not to use the internet, base their decision on the fact that the internet is not attractive enough for them, rather than on price. It is why T-Online always considered it important to continuously develop access and contents services at the same time. The (origo( pages are viewed by one million visitors on average each day, meaning that three-fourth of the Hungarian internet users regularly read the page.

Last year T-Online launched wide band entertainment contents services - first in Hungary - e.g. the Music Store, and online video rental, which is now being further improved and extended. Such services will also appear on the www.t-online.hu portal, to be launched in June, and designed with a very straightforward and easy to use structure. The renewed online customer service of T-Online will also be operated on this site.
T-Online is also planning to launch new contents development products soon, including the launch of TV services via wide band connection, and providing banking services on [origo].

Local market environment of T-Online

According to an analysis carried out by T-Online, the internet penetration of households is dynamically growing. According to our estimates, by 2007 the penetration should reach 31%, compared to 16% in 2004. This growth assumes a wide-spread use of wide band width internet, and based on the trend forecast, by 2007, each forth Hungarian household will have a wide band internet connection. T-Online forecasts that by 2007 80% of the households holding an internet access will connect to the internet via a wide band, meaning that a total of 1,187,000 households will have internet access, out of which 955,000 will be wide band width technologies.
The surveys also point out that internet use is likely to change also based on geographical breakdown. While the ratio of internet users living in villages was only 16 % in 2004, such ratio is likely to increase to 24% by 2006. At the moment, approximately half of the households with internet access is in Budapest, and such ratio is likely to decrease to one-third within a year. This does not, however, mean a decrease in the number of Budapest users, but a more intense growth and expansion in the number of countryside users.
Parallel with the developments on the internet market, a change is expected in the composition of internet users. Interesting changes are expected based on demographical ratios and estimations. By 2006 it is expected that 72% of the leader in the households with internet connection will have an education level lower than university degree. A shift is expected in the age composition also. While in 2001 only 7% of the internet users was older than 50, nowadays the ratio is 13%. A major change in the age of internet users is shown mostly in the number of internet users below 29 years, i.e. their ratio decreased from 65% to 53%. By 2007 it is expected that the split between genders will be equal, compared to 2001, when the ratio was 55% men, and 45% women, the same being 52% men and 48% women in 2004.


Further news

T-Online will provide a bigger storing capacity on the most popular free e-mail system in Hungary 'Freemail' - even up to 1 GB - providing benefits not only to T-Online customers.

The current 5 MB free of charge capacity is increased to 25 MB. As part of the special Summer offer, the size of the additional storing capacity can reach even 1 GB, for a fee of HUF 500 charged for three months, and upon expiry of the special offer, Freemail users will be able to store larger site materials in their e-mail account for a charge of HUF 500 per month.
T-Online Hungary always provides a wide range of services to its customers, therefore co-operates will all leading market players in areas related to internet services. Virus protection and security solutions, fixed monthly fee Microsoft software products, and the child browser all have the goal to provide a flexible, individually tailored, complex service package, in addition to the internet subscription.
The range of new things is continuously being increased. Soon new on-demand type services will be introduced, Music Store is expected to be further extended, and an on-demand access will be provided to one of the commercial TV channels soup operas.
The provision of banking services is also included in the Company's medium term plans.
Additional TV related services are also planned to be introduced in the future, with a focus on Triple Pay - sound, data and video in one single package - as well as safe and comfortable payment solutions.

Summer internet fiesta

It is important for all ‚T' brands to meet customers not only in the retail outlets and via customer service lines, but also to enrich the customers via a social participation, providing a direct access to sports, art and entertainment activities.
During the Summer, there will be lot's of opportunities provided to get more information on T-Online and generally on the internet, in a large number of cities and locations:

18-20 May: projection onto a huge water wall across the Danube, providing a unique picture from the Pest side walking area along the Danube (between the Chain bridge and Elizabeth bridge). The title of the unique photo exhibition, including still and moving pictures is: The world through the internet. As part of this program, on 18 May, the World Internet Day, free-of-charge boats will be provided to visitors, by which Budapest and the world of internet will be introduced in a different way.
17-22 May: the largest internet café in Hungary will open in Budapest, on Liszt Ferenc square. In the period between Tuesday to Sunday, all laptops suitable for such service will be able to access the internet via a free-of-charge Wi-Fi connection. Those, who don't have a laptop, will be able to brows on the T-Online terminals located at the square, also free-of-charge.
20 May: "Wide Band Width Day" on Millenáris. Star chat, games and awards, pop concerts, and a large number of other surprises are waiting for visitors.

Further programs organised by T-Online:
28 May: Children's Day in Városliget
28 May - 3 September: internet roadshow with trucks, a serie of streetball games in 8 locations
4 June - 10 July: Children's Island events
3 June - 10 September: Danubius - T-Online roadshow
July: internet tent at Coca-Cola Beach House, Siófok
12-16 July: T-Online street music festival, Veszprém
13-17 July: Hegyalja Festival, Tokaj
5-21 August: Budapest Plázs event

T-Online will provide information on its Summer programs in the press, and via its new portal.