Digital connectivity in Hungary

Summary of digital connectivity development in Hungary

The National Digitalisation Strategy 2022-2030 was approved in 2022. It aims to provide 95% of households with gigabit networks, to increase digital skills of the population, to support digitalisation of business processes, and to increase the use of e-government services.

National digital connectivity strategy and policy

Responsible authorities

• Strategies concerning the use of information and communication technology including digital connectivity policies fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Technology and Industry (Technológiai és Ipari Minisztérium).
• The Governmental Information Technology Development Agency (KIFÜ) operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Technology and Industry. The agency manages IT projects dealing with central public administration and guided by the Government, e.g. the Superfast Internet Program and acts as national Broadband Competence Office (BCO).
• The National Media Infocommunications Authority (Nemzeti Média- és Hírközlési Hatóság, NMHH) provides regulation concerning fixed and wireless electronic communications and is also responsible for the wireless digital connectivity strategy.
• The Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is responsible for eGovernment issues and was involved in preparation of the National Digitalisation Strategy 2022-2030.

Main aims and measures for digital connectivity development

The Hungary’s National Digitalisation Strategy 2022-2030 is based on four pillars: digital infrastructure, digital skills, digital economy, and digital state. It sets out the following targets:

• 95% of households covered by gigabit networks by 2030
• 5G coverage to reach 67% by 2025
• at least 75% of district headquarters should be provided with endpoints of the National Telecommunications Backbone Network (NTG) by 2025
• The proportion of public education and vocational training institutions with a network connection of at least 1 Gbps should reach 100% by the end of 2030
• The size of the national super-computing (HPC) capacity should be 15 Pflops by the end of 2030

The strategy outlines infrastructural, educational and economic support measures. To ensure the availability of wired and wireless digital infrastructure with adequate service capability and quality, the strategy foresees the development of gigabit networks, digital infrastructure of educational and higher education institutions, further development of the national telecommunications backbone network, wireless communication for professional organisations, expanding supercomputing capacity as well as encouraging development of 5G networks.

Development of gigabit-capable networks will include wide implementation measures:

• planning and implementig a nationwide “Gigabit Hungary 2030” network development programme, connected to 5G, in order to have internet connections with speeds of at least 1 Gbps available by end-2030
• clarifying infrastructure and network-sharing under competition law and regulation of access to optical and radio networks, in particular the sharing of passive (and partly active) infrastructure elements
• transposing the European Electronic Communications Code into national law
• reviewing and, if necessary, amending the rules for the construction of telecommunication networks
• alleviating the reporting and administrative burdens on service providers
• reviewing the quality and consumer protection regulations for communications services, reviewing standards, formulating minimum requirements
• reviewing the Communications Regulation to better support policy objectives related to digitisation, micro and macro-level competitiveness
• updating national standards for electronic communications networks
• positioning digital networks as a critical infrastructure for the general public

Encouraging the development of 5G networks will need further multiple actions:

• strengthening and expanding the activities of the 5G Coalition
• launching strategic agreements between service providers and the government to accelerate state-of-the-art fixed & mobile and converged technology developments
• developing R&D&I support scheme in line with digital infrastructure development, especially 5G
• developing the Széchenyi István University 5G Center of Excellence
• contributing to the construction of EU 5G corridors
• preliminary analysis of 6G technology

National and regional digital connectivity financial instruments

• Loans: For the 2014-2020 period, financial resources from the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme (EDIOP/GINOP) support the expansion of public digital connectivity networks and the expansion of high speed connections. National funds help expand the digital connectivity networks in non-convergent Middle-Hungarian Region.
• ESIF funds: The 2014-2020 programmes estimate that investments into NGA high-speed digital connectivity networks, with a speed of 30 Mbps or higher, will reach €253 million. Part of the digital connectivity budget will be spent via financial instruments.
• Superfast Internet Programme (SZIP): The majority of projects deployed FTTH (fibre to the home), enabling Gigabit speeds. SZIP, financed from EU Structural Funds, intended to cover almost 410,000 households is, with networks supplying at least 30 Mbps digital connectivity internet service by 2023. For areas that are not commercially viable, a €250 million state aid scheme has been set up to ensure digital connectivity roll-out. By the end of 2020, almost a quarter of a million households were covered by at least 30 Mbps digital connectivity through the SZIP.
• Hungary’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) commits 30% of its allocation to digital measures (EUR 1.7 billion). The plan includes a comprehensive package to promote the digital transformation of the economy and society. Most components contain measures on digital transition. Significant measures are planned to improve the digital equipment and skills in primary, vocational and higher education. The plan contains measures related to the digitalisation of public administration and of the health, transport and energy sectors.

Data on digital connectivity development and technologies in Hungary

For the latest data on digital connectivity coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different digital connectivity technologies check the country reports of the Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI).

Spectrum assignments for wireless digital connectivity

For details on harmonised spectrum assignments, please consult the European 5G Observatory report.

National and EU publications and press documents

English

• Broadband Investment Handbook
• Mobile and Fixed Broadband Prices in Europe 2022
• Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU27
• Broadband Connectivity Reports and Analyses

Hungarian

• Portal szelessav.net gathering and collating service quality data on broadband
• Szupergyors Internet Program (SZIP)
• Nemzeti Digitalizációs Stratégia (NDS) 2022-2030

Contact information

BCO Hungary (national Broadband Competence Office): Ministry for Technology and Industry, State Secretariat for Infocommunication

Address: Iskola u. 13, Budapest, 1011 Hungary
Contact via email
Phone: +36 30 977 4707
Website

National Media and Infocommunications Authority (Nemzeti Média- és Hírközlési Hatóság)

Address: Ostrom u. 23-25, 1015 Budapest, Hungary
Contact via email
Phone: +36 1 4577100
Website