Small and medium-sized Hungarian providers of electronic communications services find themselves in an increasingly difficult situation.
Indeed, according to Media 1, citing Ferenc Kéry, the president of the Hungarian Cable Communications Association (MKSZ), Gergely Ökrös, the president of the Hungarian Cable Television and Communications Association (MHKSZ) and Ferenc Ballai, the manager of the National Broadcasting Cluster, it has only worsened since they wrote the Hungarian President Viktor Orban two years ago asking for help.
The government in fact made their situation worse at the start of the pandemic by requiring them to provide internet services free of charge for what became an extended period.
Small and medium-sized providers also find themselves having to pay higher distribution fees for TV channels than large operators, who receive very significant discounts. Although they applied to the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) a year ago citing a distortion in competition, a few days ago it effectively dismissed their concerns.
They are also coerced into carrying less interesting channels rather than being allowed to choose them on an a la carte basis.
