Hungary opens tender process for Superfast Internet Program 2.0
Hungary’s Government Informatics Development Agency (KIFU) within the Ministry of Innovation & Technology has announced that it will accept bid proposals for broadband network upgrades within the context of the second phase of its Superfast Internet Program (SZIP). Bidders are invited to submit proposals between May 6 and 11 June 11, 2020.
The Superfast Internet Program, launched this past January, aims to see Hungary’s broadband infrastructure upgraded to carry services above 100 Mbps. The new tender targets networks covering 62,000 households in 72 districts. The HUF 4.1 billion ($13 million) funding for this phase comes from both government and European Union sources. In this second phase, bidders may propose projects with funding requirements ranging from HUF 5 million to HUF 1.5 billion ($15,000 to $4.61 million) per district.
The KIFU asserts that Hungary resides within the top 10 European Union member states in terms of next-generation network coverage and speed. The number of broadband subscribers in the country has increased 10X since 2010. “The stability of the domestic networks is world-class, and the new supported developments in this field represent a further strengthening, enabling trouble-free service even in the event of the greatest use. In an emergency caused by a coronavirus epidemic, networks are doing well, and infrastructure and service providers have been able to handle sudden spikes in daily workloads without major disruption,” notes Balázs Károly Solymár, deputy state secretary for digitization of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology.
“Thanks to the network developments of the Superfast Internet Program, small and medium-sized enterprises have also been able to switch to work from home. One of the main goals of the current tender is to create a suitable environment for the long-term use of the Internet with secure and fast network services,” Solymár concluded.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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