As the Hungarian telecommunication industry is becoming increasingly characterized by digital transformation, service providers are forced to adapt to constant technological advancement and rising consumer demand. With new technologies gaining ground, the usage of landline services, such as fixed-line telephony and cable television has been decreasing in the country. In the third quarter of 2023, mobile voice and internet services generated by far the highest revenue in Hungary among all telecommunication services, totaling 168 billion forints. In comparison, fixed-line internet services accounted for approximately 50 billion forints’ worth of revenue, while broadcasting followed with 43 billion forints.
As for mobile telephony, in the second quarter of 2022, over 11 million active SIM cards were registered in the country, which is more than Hungary’s population. At the same time, Hungarians seemingly preferred postpaid cards, their number reaching nearly 11 million over the past years. In contrast to fixed-line telephony, making phone calls from mobile devices has not decreased in popularity, as in the second quarter of 2023, the average monthly voice traffic totaled 336 minutes, marking an increase compared to the previous quarter.
4iG is transforming Hungary’s telecommunication landscape
Magyar Telekom, the country’s most successful telecommunications company and one of the first to launch commercial 5G services, has dominated the mobile network market. Yettel, formerly known as Telenor Hungary, is considered the second-largest mobile phone operator and recorded a revenue of 541 million euros in 2022. As of January 2022, DIGI’s Hungarian branch changed ownership as it was acquired by 4iG. Moreover, in 2023, Antenna Hungária, a subsidiary of 4iG, acquired a majority stake in Vodafone Hungary, while the Hungarian government indirectly acquired the rest of the company. These transactions and additional acquisitions in the info-communication sector made over the past years indicate that 4iG is on its way to becoming a significant telecommunications group in the region.Fixed-line telephony is losing its significance
In recent years, both the mobile and the fixed-line telephony market have been characterized by Magyar Telekom’s overwhelming share. However, due to increasing digitization, the popularity of landline telephony in Hungary has been diminishing. The number of calls initiated from fixed lines in Hungary decreased by over 40 percent from the first quarter of 2020 and the second quarter of 2023.As for mobile telephony, in the second quarter of 2022, over 11 million active SIM cards were registered in the country, which is more than Hungary’s population. At the same time, Hungarians seemingly preferred postpaid cards, their number reaching nearly 11 million over the past years. In contrast to fixed-line telephony, making phone calls from mobile devices has not decreased in popularity, as in the second quarter of 2023, the average monthly voice traffic totaled 336 minutes, marking an increase compared to the previous quarter.
