In 1994, Westel 900 subscribers used their GSM phones for an average of 400 minutes per month, while, by 1997, this figure fell to 250 minutes per month. One reason for this is the increase in the availability of fixed lines, which has reached 2.6 million, with practically no waiting list. The two GSM service providers will continue investing at that level for the subsequent two years. Major purchases will include radio and microwave equipment, mobile phones. When selecting a supplier, mobile service providers list at first place the quality of the product, followed by the price.
Services provided by the vendor are more decisive factors than financial conditions.
Both major suppliers have Hungarian subsidiaries. Totaltel Ltd. is a privately owned company established in 1991. Totaltel undertakes not only design of microwave transmission networks, but equipment production, installation, administration of licensing, training, etc. The company is a supplier of all three mobile service providers. The company exports to the former Soviet Union, India, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania.