1 Hungary issued the nation’s first National Information Strategy in 2001, which was followed by the renewed 2 Hungarian Information Society Strategy in 2003. After the first strategies, each government has made steps 3 towards an information and knowledge based society and economy. In 2010, a Digital Renewal Action Plan was issued, which included four main pillars (action plans) and more than 80 action proposals. This plan was based on main strategic goals and recommendations of Digital Agenda for Europe 2020. 4 The National Info-communication Strategy (NIS) sets out the basis for info-communication developments to be implemented by 2020. The strategy, issued in early 2014, outlined the primary objectives of the 2014-2020 5 period focusing on the fields of digital infrastructure, competence, economy and state. In accordance with the main goals of NIS, every household should have internet access of at least 30 Mbps and at least half of them of 100 Mbps or faster by 2018. The NIS includes a plan for the full National Telecommunication Backbone Network to be established by 2016. Further goals include mobile broadband coverage which should reach 95% by 2016, by which date broadband internet access of at least 20 Mbps should be accessible for all educational 6 institutions. Hungarian households with access to the internet at home numbered more than 7.5 million at the beginning of 2015. This is 75% penetration rate referring to the 10 million population of Hungary and ranks the country 17th 7 8 among the EU28. In 2011, this rate was only 65% which was 18th among EU countries. The number of mobile phone subscriptions reached 11.8 million in the 1st quarter of 2015. Mobile internet 9 subscriptions comprise 65% of total internet access. Wired internet access is based on two main technologies: cable network, which makes up 17% of total internet access and which grew 6.5% in 2014, and xDSL subscription (11% of total internet access) which grew 10 by 1.4%. 11 Standard fixed broadband is available in 94% of households, which ranks 23rd in the EU. With regard to broadband quality available to subscribers, 83% of subscribers are offered speeds exceeding 10 Mbps and 40% 1 National Information Society Strategy, Budapest 2001. Cited in ‘Report on Hungarian Information Society 1998-2008’. <http://infoter.eu/attachment/0003/2817_ittk_mitj_1998_2008.pdf>. 2 ibid. 3 Digital Renewal Action Plan. <http://infoter.eu/alapdokumentumok/digitalis_megujulas_cselekvesi_terv>. 4 National Info-communication Strategy. <http://20102014.kormany.hu/download/b/fd/21000/Nemzeti%20Infokommunik%C3%A1ci%C3%B3s%20Strat%C3%A9gia%2020142020.pdf>. 5 ibid. 6 Ministry of National Development: National Info-communication Strategy: Fully electronic services in public administration within four years. <http://2010-2014.kormany.hu/en/ministry-of-national-development/news/national-infocommunication-strategy-fully-electronic-services-in-public-administration-within-four-years>. 7 EU Digital Agenda, 'Country Ranking Table, On A Thematic Group of Indicators — Digital Agenda Scoreboard', 2014. < http://digital-agenda-data.eu/charts/country-ranking-table-on-a-thematic-group-of-indicators#chart={"indicatorgroup":"internet-usage","ref-area":"HU","time-period":"2014"}>. 8 ibid. 9 Hungarian Central Statistical Office: Statistic Mirror. 43/2015. <http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/gyor/tav/tav1503.pdf>. 10 ibid. 11 EU Digital Agenda, 'Country Ranking Table, On A Thematic Group of Indicators — Digital Agenda Scoreboard', 2014. <http://digital-agenda-data.eu/charts/country-ranking-table-on-a-thematic-group-of-indicators#chart={"indicatorgroup":"broadband","ref-area":"HU","time-period":"2014"}>. 4