Press Releases

Budapest, March 4, 2003

As a result of the Internet tariff reduction announced on February 18, 2003 Matáv has entered into agreements with four Internet service providers serving a large number of customers: Vivendi Telecom Hungary Rt., GTS-Datanet Kft., EuroWeb Kft. and Freestart Kft., in addition to its subsidiary Axelero.

Actual reduction of Internet usage costs requires joint efforts and cooperation between telecommunications and Internet service providers. Matáv has taken the first step to reach this goal: since February 18 the company is offering wholesale structures with 25% discount to all Internet service providers.
We are pleased to announce that Matáv has entered into agreements with four Hungarian Internet service providers: Vivendi Telecom Hungary Rt., GTS-Datanet Kft., EuroWeb Kft. and Freestart Kft., in addition to Axelero. The same attractive conditions are offered to each service provider so from now on lower retail prices can be offered to about 80% of Internet users.
Signing of the agreements indicates that after the professional debates of recent weeks the market players have reached an agreement keeping in mind the interests of the consumers and the long-term development of the information society in Hungary. Matáv believes that this agreement will be beneficial for all players: consumers can use the Internet at lower prices, service providers can acquire new customers.
With these agreements, the tax benefits introduced earlier and the new forms of subsidy offered by the Ministry of IT and Communications to the Internet service providers the conditions have been created for significantly raising the number of Internet users in Hungary.