About

The name "National Host of Hungary Society" may sound strange to many of you but it will be more widely known soon because the Society

• undertakes to represent telecommunications interests, promotes the adoption and wide use of technical innovations in Hungary;
• does organisation work and transfers know-how to help create the telecommunications infrastructure of the information society. It provides opportunities for its members, industry-leading companies, to introduce the achievements of advanced technologies. The companies, institutions and scientific projects requiring data transmission infrastructure can find useful information on the innovations of the industry any time by visiting the Society's web site at www.host.hu.
• supports the initiatives of those wishing to use information technology and telecommunications devices to join the General Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Program of the European Union. Provides information to those concerned of the opportunities of the program at conferences, extension courses and other forums.

 Choice from the front line

The experts of the National Host of Hungary surveyed the telecommunications trends of the world, the continent and Hungary. They concluded that our companies and laboratories knew and applied the essential elements of industry-leading broadband technologies. The organisation of information and the accord of interests also determine how much attention can be attracted to the new data transmission possibilities, how all this supports the development of telecommunications technologies and how the offerings of information systems and telecommunications providers meet the increasing demands of the Hungarian society. In addition, the Society enables the companies and institutions to show their industry-leading products and services and enables future users to familiarise themselves with the range of advanced telecommunications devices and technologies at a neutral forum. The new potentials of the forthcoming high-speed data transmission demo lab are available at www.host.hu.

International R&D forums

The European Union, the OECD and a number of other international organisations set it as an objective for themselves to promote the evolution of the information society, providing new opportunities for work and training, the establishment of relations in towns and villages and even across the borders, the marketing of products for a broader public, the purchase of products from a wider choice, familiarisation with the scientific, technical and artistic achievements of other countries, the exercise of civil rights and other activities affecting the quality of life.

The European Union have been organising general research and technological development programs since 1984 in which they are making purposeful efforts to strengthen international co-operation in key areas. The funds for such programs are also increased continuously. Between 1998 and 2002, €14.96 billion was spent by the EU to improve the quality of life, manage biological resources, develop a user-friendly information society, create opportunities for competitive and sustainable growth, improve the interaction between energy, environment and sustainable growth and promote other research.

It is interesting to note that the programs do not end with research but continue with the development, application, dissemination and popularisation of the resulting technologies. The participating countries contribute specific sums to the programs, while their companies and institutions join their partners in other countries to submit tenders in areas with common goals and funding. Hungary was first given an opportunity in 1999 to join - nearly as a full member. If our institutions choose the right topic and file their tenders with due care, they can raise significantly more funds in their research, technological development and application development projects than by trying to raise own or traditional domestic resources alone.

Beginning from 1999, the European Union want to allocate a total of €3.600 million over a period of four years to some selected topics of the user-friendly information society, including

• information processing, telecommunications, network management and the required technologies;
• language technologies to be used for the development of user-friendly information and telecommunications systems;
• information and network security;
• flexible and mobile telework methods, working practices based on simulation and virtual reality;
• advanced, intelligent, controllable methods in transport, carriage and tourism and the related remote services;
• computerised clinical systems, reliable, high-capacity health systems, telemedicine;
• digital storage of the cultural and scientific heritage through the networking of libraries, collections and museums.

A number of other projects are available for tenders under the 5^th General Program of the EU. The National Host of Hungary undertook to introduce such topics to a wide public by holding informative lectures, conferences and training courses to prepare the tenderers.

The European Community recognised as early as in the period of the 4^th General Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Program in 1994 to 1998 that high-speed, broadband data connection is required for the implementation of the program. They set up the international network of Hosts to promote the wide availability of a range of affordable devices and applications. These Hosts also co-ordinated the development of the experimental research networks. The goals, the needs for support and the completed work were evaluated at yearly intervals within the international organisation of the Hosts. Their efforts contributed to the development of the high-speed, highly loadable, generally available infrastructure throughout the EU and between the countries.

The National Host of Hungary was formed as a society in October 1998 at the proposal of the National Office for Technical Development and with the support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Water Management. Since the conditions for its operation was created in April 1999, it has been functioning with minimum administrative staff, elected management and active institutional representatives. It is a member of the international network of Hosts. Its Executive Officer is involved in the work of the management committee of the IST (Information Society Technology) program.

Aims of the Society:

• Promoting the research of advanced information and communications technologies and networks in Hungary;
• Assisting Hungarian businesses to join similarly targeted projects of the European Union and other institutions;
• Supporting successful participation in the projects.

To achieve these aims

• The Society promotes co-operation between domestic and foreign participants of the emerging research projects, similar to the proven EU practices. It performs the functions of the National Host of Hungary as member of the international network and represents Hungary at the National Host Forum;
• It provides information for participation in the EU projects, acts as an intermediary in making available the technical infrastructure and services for telecommunications research and development projects and prepares the necessary agreements between project participants and service providers;
• It organises and registers the resources and services related to the National Host system and promotes their utilisation;
• It provides consulting and organisation background for the initiatives aimed at Hungarian participation in the EU's 5^th General Research and Technological Development Program;
• It supports research and development efforts connected to the domestic research, education and other public communications networks and the integration in international networks;
• It develops and operates information services to facilitate realisation of the above aims.

Any domestic legal entity or company without legal entity may become member of the Society provided that

• their aims are in conformity with those of the Society;
• the person applying for membership or delegated as proxy has adequate professional experience in advanced telecommunications and its application;
• they accept the Society's Charter;
• they undertake to pay the annual membership fee.

The members are entitled to take part in the activities, events and decisions of the Society and use the Society's services. The Society essentially uses the membership fees to realise its aims.

The main corporate body of the Society is the General Meeting consisting of the members or their proxies. Each member has one vote. The General Meeting elect the five members of the Presidency, the Executive Officer and the Chairperson and the two other members of the Supervisory Board for three years.

The Society is directed by the Presidium and the Executive Officer in the periods between two General Meetings. The Presidium elect its Chairperson for one year from among its members. The General Meeting and the Presidium may set up working committees to perform certain professional functions. The members of these working committees may include outside consultants, experts and private individuals.

The authorities of the Society's bodies and officials are based on the following competency matrix:

Legends:
D - Decision
D*- Decision (regarding daily management)
P - Preparation
E - Execution
C - Control
S - Suggestions
- - not involved
Own act. regarding own activities

Magyar Nemzeti Host Egyesület
(National Host of Hungary Society)
H-1398 Budapest, Pf. 570
Hungary
Budapest VI., Munkácsy Mihály u. 16.
Tel.: +361-301-2035, +361-301-2080
Fax: +361-332-3774
URL: www.host.hu

Alcatel Hungary Kft.
Antenna Hungária Rt.
Association of Hungarian Local Telecom Operators (Magyarországi Helyi Távközlési Szolgáltató Társaságok Szövetsége)
Chief Communications Inspectorate (Hírközlési Főfelügyelet)
Ericsson Hungary (Ericsson Távközlési Rt.)
GTS Hungary (GTS Magyarország Távközlési Rt.)
Hungarian Post (Magyar Posta Rt.)
Hungarocom Kft.
Matáv Rt.
MTA Sztaki
Pantel Rt.
Puskás Tivadar Foundation (Puskás Tivadar Alapítvány)
Siemens Hungary (Siemens Telefongyár Kft.)
System Consulting Rt.
Széchenyi István University, Győr (Széchenyi István Főiskola, Győr)
Technical University of Budapest (Budapesti Műszaki Egyetem)
Telecommunication Conciliatory Forum (Távközlési Érdekegyeztető Fórum)
Westel 900 GSM Rt.

Copyright © MNH 1999
Last updated: 03-02-2001