Press Releases

Budapest, November 22, 2001

On November 20, 2001 Matáv signed an agreement with GTS and on November 21 with EnterNet, two domestic Internet service providers of national coverage, on reverse charging for access to the Internet calling phone numbers with prefix 51. So far, similar agreements have been concluded between Matáv and three significant Internet service providers (Axelero, Vivendi and MátrixCom).

Reverse charging means that instead of paying a communication fee directly to Matáv for using the Internet, the customer pays to the Internet service provider.

The bilateral agreement makes it possible for customers of Internet service providers, calling prefix 51, to use new Internet service packages so developed countrywide. This means that Internet service providers are free to develop tariff packages (e.g. pre-paid packages) in which they can set the Internet minute charges for their subscribers. They can also apply individual solutions (e.g. compiling tariff packages offering the customer Internet services at a discount rate, at any hour of the day), improving service quality and widening service choice in this way as well.

This new way of charging also benefits the customer because use of discount packages to be developed will make surfing on the Internet cheaper; calculation of the actual cost of the service will be simpler; and the total cost of the Internet service may also decrease.

The agreements signed recently ensure that discount Internet packages can be made available to as many as 80% of Internet users.

Matáv continues to promote the signing of similar agreements with as many Internet service providers as possible, in order to contribute to the more rapid spread of Internet use in Hungary.