800,000+ households and businesses may gain access to Hungary’s top internet network
Hungary’s cutting-edge fibre-optic internet network is set to expand even further.
Thanks to the latest developments, the ultra-modern fibre-optic internet will reach 800,000 more households and businesses across the country, announced Károly Balázs Solymár, State Secretary for Infocommunications at the Ministry of Energy, during a live broadcast on M1’s morning news show.
He revealed that nearly half a million homes will benefit from high-speed online services through telecom providers’ own investments, while an extra 300,000 premises will be connected thanks to support from the Gigabit Hungary Programme. The programme was necessary because building infrastructure in sparsely populated areas is less financially viable, which is why rural regions often experience weaker online services, unstable internet connections, and slower application load times compared to cities.
Hungary’s internet infrastructure outperforms the EU average
The State Secretary emphasised that Hungary’s internet infrastructure is more advanced than the European Union average, with optical network coverage at about 80%, compared to 64% across the EU. However, the country cannot rest on its laurels; the government is committed to ensuring equal digital access for all.
Károly Balázs Solymár considers discrepancies in digital services unacceptable. He estimates that modern wired access could potentially cover 98% of the population, with the remaining 2% served by mobile networks. The Gigabit Hungary Programme supports both these options, with nearly one-third of the network being built by small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Hungary internet usage rate among top 10 in EU
Deadline ends in October
According to an announcement on kormany.hu, companies operating in the infocommunications sector can apply until 21 October for non-repayable grants of up to 3.5 billion forints. Projects must be completed by the end of 2028 and require a 10% contribution from applicants. The total funding available through this call amounts to 84.86 billion forints.
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