Before visiting the Hungary, you have to know the different prepaid phone plan providers in the country, especially if you are going to just stay temporarily and use your prepaid mobile phone there.
Currently, there are three national GSM and 3G prepaid phone operators in Hungary, namely: Telenor GSM Telecommunications, Magyar Telekom Plc (T-Mobile Hungary) and Vodafone Hungary Ltd. One other GSM prepaid phone brand called djuice (Telenor) and a virtual prepaid phone operator, Postafon (Magyar Posta). The mobile prefix for Hungary is +36. Their currency is 1 Hungarian Forint HUF = 0,00321412705 Euro. The electricity available in Hungary is 230 Volts with an electrical frequency of 50 Hertz. Time Zone is GMT +1 (CET).
National GSM and 3G Prepaid Phone Operators in Hungary
The first prepaid phone operator in Hungary is Telenor GSM Telecommunications or also called as Telenor Hungary. This prepaid phone company was established in 1994 and is headquartered in Törökbálint, Hungary. They offer products and services such as fixed line telephony, mobile phone (in both post paid and prepaid phone plans) services and Internet connection on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequencies. Telenor Hungary’s network covers 99% of Hungary. They have 13 switching centers, 1500 base stations and more than 1700 employees. Currently, Telenor Hungary is considered the second largest mobile communications company in the country with more than 3.50 million active subscribers.
The prepaid phone card name for Hungary is called “Praktikum.” The activation fee for this prepaid phone card is HUF 1590 with 400 credits. Praktikum prepaid phone cards are valid for 12 months after activation. The net frequency for Telenor Hungary are GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100. The logos for this prepaid phone card are Telenor H and Telenor GSM with a net code of 216 01.
There are four voice tariffs under Praktikum, namely: Praktikum, Praktikum on-net, Praktikum off-peak and Praktikum +Net. Praktikum offers all calls for HUF 43.00. Praktikum on-net offers calls to Telenor and Djuice for HUF 25.00 and other calls for HUF 59.00. Praktikum off-peak offers all calls (Monday to Friday 7AM-18) HUF 57.00 and all calls (Monday to Friday 6PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 25.00. Praktikum +Net offers calls to Telenor and Djuice for HUF 35.00 and other calls for HUF 45.00.
Praktikum +Net Refills:
- HUF 1,500 with 20 MB
- HUF 3,000 with 40 MB
- HUF 5,000 with 80 MB
- HUF 10,000 with 80 MB
- HUF 15,000 with 80 MB
**Favourite number (PáratlanSzám) - With this option users can call 1 Telenor or land line number at half price. To activate the option just call the toll free number 1741.
Additional Services and Costs:
Messaging:
- National SMS, Praktikum +Net – HUF 41
- National SMS, other tariffs – HUF 43
- International SMS – HUF 43.75
- MMS – HUF 135.00
Voicemail: Free of charge
Data Calls:
- CSD – HUF 37.5/12.5 per min peak/off peak
- GPRS/3G – HUF 8.00/10KB
International Calls and Roaming: International prepaid phone calls and roaming services available, see here
Debiting Method: 60/60
Recharges, Credit and Validity:
- HUF 1,500/1,500, 1 year
- HUF 3,000/3,000, 1 year
- HUF 5,000/5,000, 1 year
- HUF 10,000/10,000, 1 year
- HUF 15,000/15,000, 1 year
The second prepaid phone operator in Hungary is Magyar Telekom Plc or more commonly known as T-Mobile Hungary. The company was established in 1991 as Magyar Telekom and is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. In May 2004, Magyar Telekom was renamed as T-Mobile Hungary when the country joined the European Union. This mobile communications company provides high-speed services like EDGE, 3G and HDSPA in the major cities in Hungary. Their services includes: mobile (in both post paid and prepaid phone plans) services and mobile Broadband. Currently, T-Mobile Hungary is considered the largest mobile provider in the country.
The prepaid phone card name for T-Mobile Hungary is called “Domino.” The activation fee for this prepaid phone card is HUF 4800 with 4000 credits. Domino prepaid phone cards are valid for 12 months after activation. The net frequency for T-Mobile Hungary are GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100. The logos for this prepaid phone card are WESTEL and T-Mobile Hu with 216 30 as its net code.
There are four voice tariffs under Domino, namely: Domino 7, Domino Nap, Domino Aktív and Domino iWiW.
- Domino 7 offers calls to T-Mobile (Monday to Friday 7AM-8PM) for HUF 80, calls to T-Mobile (Monday – Friday 8PM-10PM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 22, calls to T-Mobile (Monday to Friday 10PM-7AM) for HUF 11, other calls (Monday to Friday 7AM-8PM) for HUF 90, calls to land line (Monday to Friday 8PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 22 and calls to other mobiles (Monday to Friday 8PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 33.
- Domino Nap offers all calls for HUF 41.
- Domino Aktív offers calls to T-Mobile and land line (Monday to Friday 7AM-6M) for HUF 26, calls to T-Mobile (Monday to Friday 6PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 16, other calls (Monday to Friday 7AM-6M) for HUF 36, other calls (Monday to Friday 6PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 26 with a month fee of HUF 490.
- Domino iWiW offers calls and SMS to other iWiW numbers for HUF 16, other calls and SMS for HUF 39 with a monthly fee of HUF 490.
SMS Sending:
- Domino Nap - HUF 30 (to T-Mobile); HUF 35 (To Pannon); HUF 40 (To Vodafone Hu); HUF 56 (International SMS)
- Domino Aktiv – HUF 30 (to T-Mobile); HUF 30 (To Pannon); HUF 30 (To Vodafone Hu); HUF 56 (International SMS)
- Domino 7 - HUF 18 (to T-Mobile); HUF 25 (To Pannon); HUF 29 (To Vodafone Hu); HUF 38 (International SMS)
**There is also an SMS Package called “SMS-Package-15″ which costs HUF 375/month which includes N°15 SMS to any Hungarian network.
Additional Services and Costs:
MMS Sending:
- To T-Mobile (Monday to Friday 7AM-6PM) – HUF 75
- To T-Mobile (Monday to Friday 6PM-9AM; Saturday and Sunday) – HUF 38
- Other national MMS peak – HUF 125
- Other national MMS off-peak – HUF 63
- International MMS – HUF 150
Data Calls: Available in GPRS, but with a monthly subscription with some MB included.
International Calls: International prepaid phone calls available, see here
International Roaming: International roaming service available, see here
Debiting Method: 60/60
Recharges, Credit and Validity:
- HUF 2000/2500/3000 (366+90 days)
- HUF 3500/5000/9000/10000 (366+90 days)
- HUF 15000 (488+90 days)
The third prepaid phone operator in Hungary is Vodafone Hungary Ltd. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. They started providing products and services in GSM 900/1800 MHz. They are the first telecommunications company to offer DCS-1800 band in Hungary. Their products includes: post paid and prepaid phone plans and mobile broadband. Vodafone Hungary operates in GSM, GPRS, EDGE networks on 900/1800 MHz and HSDPA+ on 2000 MHz frequency. Their GSM network covers 98.3% while their HSDPA covers 46.6% of the country. As of the moment, Vodafone Hungary is the third largest telecommunications company in Hungary with 22.99% market share.
The prepaid phone card name for Vodafone Hungary is called “VitaMAX.” The activation fee for this prepaid phone card is HUF 2500 with 1500 credits. VitaMAX prepaid phone cards are valid for 90 days after activation plus 60 days grace period. The net frequency for Vodafone Hungary are GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100. The logo for this prepaid phone card is Vodafone with 216 70 as its net code.
There are four voice tariffs under VitaMAX, namely: VitaMAX Standard, VitaMAX Standard, VitaMAX Party and VitaMAX Tuning. VitaMAX Standard offers all calls for HUF 43.00. VitaMAX Klub offers calls to Vodafone for HUF 22 and other calls for HUF 55.00. VitaMAX Party offers all calls (Monday to Friday 7AM-8PM) for HUF 55 and all calls (Monday to Friday 8PM-7AM; Saturday and Sunday) for HUF 29. VitaMAX Tuning offers the standard rate of HUF 41 (€ 0.13) for calls and SMS. When users refill they get cheaper rates for 30 days: prices per text/minute when users top up 3000 HUF or more – HUF 32 (€ 0.10); prices per text/minute when users top up 5000 HUF or more – HUF 26 (€ 0.08).
Additional Services and Costs:
Messaging:
- VitaMAX Standard - HUF 43 (SMS to Vodafone); HUF 43 (other national SMS); HUF 86 (International SMS); HUF 46 (text MMS to Vodafone); HUF 94 (picture/voice MMS to Vodafone); HUF 151 (video MMS to Vodafone); HUF 88 (other national Text MMS); HUF 135 (other national picture/voice MMS); HUF 195 (other national Video MMS)
- VitaMAX Klub - HUF 25 (SMS to Vodafone); HUF 55 (other national SMS); HUF 110 (International SMS); HUF 46 (text MMS to Vodafone); HUF 94 (picture/voice MMS to Vodafone); HUF 151 (video MMS to Vodafone); HUF 88 (other national Text MMS); HUF 135 (other national picture/voice MMS); HUF 195 (other national Video MMS)
- VitaMAX Party - HUF 25 (SMS to Vodafone); HUF 25 (other national SMS); HUF 40 (International SMS); HUF 46 (text MMS to Vodafone); HUF 94 (picture/voice MMS to Vodafone); HUF 151 (video MMS to Vodafone); HUF 88 (other national Text MMS); HUF 135 (other national picture/voice MMS); HUF 195 (other national Video MMS)
Voicemail: Same rate as local calls
Data Calls: Data service available, see here
International Calls:
- Zone 1 (Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine) – HUF 121.25
- Zone 2 (Albania, Algiers, Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Byelorussia, Finland, France, Gibraltar, Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany, Norway, Italy/Vatican, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, and Tunisia) – HUF 147.50
- Zone 3 (American Virgin Islands, Argentine, Australia, Brazil, Republic of South Africa, French Guyana, Greenland, Georgia, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Columbia, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Singapore, and New Zealand) – HUF 151.25
- Zone 4 (Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Ecuador, United Arabic Emirates, the Philippines, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Iran, Jamaica, Cameron, Kuwait, Kyrgizistan, Malawi, Liberia, Malaysia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Syria, Oman, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Salvador, Seychelles Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zanzibar, Thailand, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) – HUF 350.00
- Zone 5 (Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, Chad, Costa Rica, Dominican Community, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Kenya, Cuba, Lesotho, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Armenia, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) – HUF 406.25
- Rest of the World – HUF 481.25
International Roaming: International roaming service available, see here
Debiting Method: 60/60
Recharges, Credit and Validity:
- HUF 3000/3000, 90 days
- HUF 7000/7000, 180 days
- HUF 12000/12000, 365 days
Other GSM Prepaid Phone Brands in Hungary
The only GSM prepaid phone brand in Hungary is djuice (Telenor). The prepaid phone card name for djuice is called “Prepaid 29.” The activation fee for this prepaid phone card is HUF 1900 with 1000 credits. Djuice prepaid phone cards are valid for 12 months after activation. The net frequency for djuice are GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100. The logos for this prepaid phone card are djuice and Telenor GSM with a net code of 216 01. Djuice is a network under Telenor Hungary.
Prepaid 29 offers all calls and national SMS for HUF 29.
**Only people younger than 26 years old can subscribe to djujce Prepaid 29 plan.
Additional Services and Costs:
Messaging:
- International SMS – HUF 43.75
- MMS – HUF 99
- For HUF 1200/month users can send 80 SMS (HUF 15 each); The SMS 80 service can be requested once a month and only applies to short text messages sent to domestic networks.
- Pre-paid subscribers can have a maximum of HUF 8,100 worth of airtime with the HUF 7,200 recharge cards and a maximum of HUF 18,000 worth of airtime with the HUF 14,400 recharge cards.
Djuice Nonstop SMS:
- For HUF 3200/month users can use the service “djuice nonstop sms”. With this option users can send almost unlimited SMS (10.000/month!) messages to Telenor subscribers, and 500 SMS/month to T-Mobile/Vodafone/land line customers.
Voicemail: Same rate as voice calls
Data Calls:
- Netezz mobilom 100 – 100MB for HUF 500 (€ 1.60); send netezzmobilon100mb to 06202020200
- Netezz mobilom 500 – 500MB for HUF 1490 (€ 4.80); send netezzmobilon500mb to 06202020200
- Netezz mobilom 1GB – 1GB for HUF 2490 (€ 8.00); send netezzmobilon1gb to 06202020200
- Netezz mobilom 3GB – 3GB for HUF 3490 (€ 11.22); send netezzmobilon3gb to 06202020200
International Calls and Roaming: International prepaid phone calls and roaming services available, see Telenor page
Debiting Method: 60/60
Recharges, Credit and Validity:
- HUF 900/900, 1 year
- HUF 1800/1800, 1 year
- HUF 3600/3600, 1 year
- HUF 7200/8100, 1 year
- HUF 14400/18000, 1 year
Virtual Prepaid Phone Operators in Hungary
The only virtual prepaid phone operator in Hungary is Postafon (Magyar Posta). The prepaid phone card name for Postafon is called “Fókus Tarifa.” The activation fee and validity of this prepaid phone card is available upon request. The net frequency for Postafon are GSM 900/1800 and WCDMA 2100. The logo for this prepaid phone card is Postafon with 216 70 as its net code. Postafon is a network under Vodafone Hungary.
Fókusz Tarifa offers all calls fir HUF 35.
Additional Services and Costs:
Messaging:
- National SMS – HUF 35.00
- International SMS – HUF 90.00
Voicemail: Same rate as voice calls
Data Calls:
- Wap – HUF 300.00 for 3 MB
- If users use more than 3MB they can get other 3MB at HUF 300 till a maximum of 10MB. After that users will pay HUF 1,200 (€ 4.56) to get max 25MB.
Web Surfing:
- 100MB, HUF 1,600 (€ 6.07); to activate send PNET100 to 14888
- 1GB, HUF 3,000 (€ 11.39); to activate send P1G to 14888
- 5GB, HUF 5,500 (€ 20.88); to activate send P5G to 14888
International Calls: International prepaid phone calls available, see here
International Roaming: International roaming service available, see here
Debiting Method: 60/60