Cableco UPC Hungary, part of the Liberty Global group, has announced the full commercial launch of UPC Mobil, its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering national 3G voice and data coverage, initially with two consumer and three small-business tariff packages. A press release said that four different types of mobile devices are on offer to UPC Mobil subscribers initially, although customers can opt for a SIM-only start-up and provide their own device. Data traffic and IP voice calls are inclusive in all UPC Mobil packages (the company having introduced an internet-calling mobile phone app ‘UPC Phone’ a few months ago). With the full launch of UPC Mobil’s voice and data packages, UPC Hungary now gives customers the option of receiving quadruple-play fixed broadband, fixed telephony, mobile and pay-TV services all on one bill. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that UPC Hungary first entered the mobile space in August 2012 with the launch of a data-only mobile broadband internet MVNO service offered over Vodafone Hungary’s 3G network.
Complementing the full launch of UPC Mobil, UPC Hungary announced the launch of UPC Wi-Free, a national network of Wi-Fi broadband internet hotspots for access via mobile devices, free to use for its existing subscribers – on condition that they opt in to sharing bandwidth with other Wi-Free members on their own home UPC Wi-Fi enabled broadband routers. UPC says that Wi-Free initially offers around 200,000 Wi-Fi access points in Hungary, while users can also connect to UPC Wi-Free across its sister companies’ Wi-Fi networks in the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Romania and Poland.