Budapest, September 16, 2016 14:00

Magyar Telekom and its consolidated subsidiaries have won at group level HUF 12.2 billion of EU funds in the first and second rounds (involving the Western and Eastern parts of Hungary) of a tender aimed at developing digital networks nationwide to cover households in 46 districts with a fixed network capable of reaching the speed of at least 30 Mbps. In addition the firm continues its self-financed developments it embarked on last year, with the aim of providing coverage to additional 500 thousand households.

Improving the digital economy is a key driver of Hungary’s competitiveness. In line with this, Magyar Telekom – as Hungary’s long-term partner – plays a leading role in building the state-of-the-art digital infrastructure that is required for this. The Company accelerated the roll-out of its high speed fixed broadband network last year, through which it rendered available at its own cost the coverage capable of reaching the speed of at least 30 Mbps in 464 thousand households. This year it intends to reach additional 500 thousand households through its own resources, of which 436 households had been covered by the end of August. So currently the high-speed, broadband internet is available through Telekom’s network in already over 2.6 households.

In the tender aimed at developing digital networks nationwide a total of 42.4 billion HUF EU funding is distributed. Magyar Telekom and its consolidated subsidiaries applied for a fund of HUF 34.8 billion from this amount (partly in a consortium) and, according to the current status of the tender process, it has been awarded an EU funding of HUF 12.2 billion. This amount and the company’s own resources added to it enables rendering access of the speed of at least 30 Mbps available in about 111 thousand additional households (of this the company won the coverage of 2400 households in a consortium). These households are located in so called ‘white areas’, where no carriers have provided fixed broadband services or internet access capable of reaching 30 Mbps so far.

The development will enable the improvement of the availability of broadband services in rural regions, which will continue to reduce the digital divide between less and more developed areas. The households to be newly connected will be able to also avail of the advantages offered by the broadband internet, which may improve the quality of life of the people who live in the settlement concerned as well as the competitiveness of businesses.