Press Releases

Budapest, February 21, 2014 13:55

• The Government of Hungary and Magyar Telekom signed a partnership agreement.
• The Government and the market-leading telecommunications group have established a long-term partnership for the country’s digital development.
• The goal is to provide broadband Internet for all, to promote digital literacy and increase the competitiveness of businesses

The Government and Magyar Telekom, a subsidiary of the Deutsche Telekom Group, have entered into a partnership of cooperationto enhance Hungary’s digital development. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Telekom Timotheus Höttges and Chief Executive Officer of Magyar Telekom Christopher Mattheisen addressed the attendees at the official ceremony held in Budapest today.

As outlined in the official document, Magyar Telekom intends to make further investments so as to  foster the provision of high-speed broadband Internet in Hungary. The intense use of innovative technologies and information and communications technology (ICT) solutions contributes to improving the quality of life for people in Hungary, the efficiency of businesses and the international competitiveness of the country’s economy. Furthermore, the company aims to promote digital literacy and the widespread adoption of safer Internet use.

Timotheus Höttges, commenting on the event, emphasized: “I welcome the objectives of this strategic partnership for a prosperous Digital Hungary. We are combining our efforts with the Government in order to make high-speed broadband Internet available to every home by 2018. As a result, Hungary could achieve the objectives specified for 2020 in the Digital Agenda for Europe before the deadline and could serve as an example for other member countries.”

Christopher Mattheisen pointed out: “Telekom is Hungary’s strategic partner with a long-term commitment. Our company is creating special value in both the private and the public sectors with its state-of-the-art solutions that make everyday life simpler and easier. We are active in the areas of healthcare, public administration, education and transportation, and we also work successfully with Hungary’s small and medium-sized businesses as well as major manufacturers and exporters. We are proud that Magyar Telekom has been the first to bring the most advanced telecommunications products and ICT innovations to Hungary. For example, users in Hungary were the first in the world to be able to send MMS messages with the help of Magyar Telekom, and now they are among the first in Europe to use the superfast 4G network. As Hungary’s first and only integrated operator we offer Internet, TV and phone connection, regardless of time and place, for millions of consumers. Besides our pioneering innovations, we are also major employers as our Group employs more than 12 thousand highly qualified professionals in Hungary. In addition, more than 100 thousand people work for our suppliers, including over 3 thousand Hungarian SMBs.”

Magyar Telekom is strongly committed to innovation and keeps developing its newest and most advanced services. Besides the full implementation of a high-speed broadband Internet network, future plans include a number of other developments that could elevate the domestic digital infrastructure and the associated services to be among the best in the world by 2018. Magyar Telekom’s subsidiary, T-Systems Hungary serves business and public administration customers and therefore actively contributes to enhancing the digital economy and utilizing EU funds spent on ICT projects that could increase the competitiveness of Hungary’s economy.

Plans include improving the safety of homes and residential areas with intelligent and user-friendly solutions; providing devices that ensure simple management of energy needs for the population and businesses; introducing convenient and secure mobile payment solutions; and making business and public administration processes simpler, more transparent and faster with the help of the most up-to-date internet-based services. In addition, Magyar Telekom significantly supports the acceleration of digitalization processes at enterprises and SMBs alike by means of the latest ICT technologies ranging from IT infrastructure to application solutions. 

Access to broadband Internet is an important, but in itself by no means sufficient pre-condition to creating equal opportunities digitally, which is one of the general objectives of this strategic partnership. Most Internet users in Hungary still only use the basic services and many of them abstain from online shopping, electronic transactions and other advanced solutions. Magyar Telekom focuses on increasing consumer awareness and cooperates with its partners to ensure that the number of citizens using the modern services in Hungary may reach the EU average and then exceed it. Furthermore, Magyar Telekom plays a pioneering role in facilitating digital literacy by ensuring broad access to digital literature via e-books.