“Gigabit Voucher” program with 200 euro voucher for fast Internet

The subsidy for broadband connections through the new Gigabit Voucher platform, which gives out €200 discount vouchers, has been launched.

The Gigabit Connectivity Voucher program will specifically offer a subsidy voucher for those who wish to install high-speed broadband connections of over 300 Mbps, either at home or in the office. The platform will be available through Gov.gr, allowing consumers and businesses to apply.

The program has a budget of €80 million, while the subsidy for households will be up to €200 for a period of two years. It covers both the initial installation cost and the monthly fee, enabling more citizens to get access to faster Internet connections.

By decision of the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, the Gigabit Connectivity Voucher Program was included in the resources of the Recovery Fund.

As stated in the decision:

– It will subsidize the acquisition of ultra-high-speed broadband connections by households and small and medium-sized enterprises by providing vouchers (Vouchers) to cover the cost of acquiring the relevant service, in particular the costs corresponding to the initial connection (indicatively: cost of installing the horizontal optical cabling to interconnect the horizontal property with the existing vertical cabling, cost of terminal equipment, cost of activation).

– Beneficiaries of the Program are all citizens (natural persons) and small and medium-sized businesses (including traders) that do not already have a broadband connection with a download speed of more than 100 Mbps and reside or have their headquarters/branch in buildings located in the Intervention Areas.

– Citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises that have received a subsidy under the Super-Fast Broadband action, as well as legal entities operating in exempted sectors are excluded from the Program.

The subsidised services must cumulatively meet the following minimum requirements:

– Have either a download speed of 250 Mbps or a symmetrical speed of 100 Mbps (for enterprises).

– Include the end-user terminal equipment (modem/router) necessary for its operation.

– Include the end-user terminal equipment necessary for its operation.

– To be provided at a discount at least equal to the amount of the Voucher, compared to the corresponding plans (with the same speed characteristics, including by-products) offered in the rest of the country. The discount may be allocated in any way within the period of the service contract, in accordance with the provider’s commercial policy.

– If provided by a vertically integrated provider with a market share in the retail broadband market of more than 20%, then the provider must provide at least one wholesale service corresponding to each available speed (or combination of download/upload speeds) of the retail products offered in the action, and which allows other providers to provide a corresponding retail service.

In addition, where a wholesale-only provider offers services to a retail provider under the action, the wholesale provider must not engage in discriminatory practices.

In any case, the wholesale service (whether offered by a vertically integrated provider with a market share of more than 20% or by a wholesale-only provider) must be provided under conditions of transparency and non-discrimination, and at a price not higher than the corresponding regulated price as determined by EETT in the context of the regulation of the wholesale local access market. Registered providers with a share of less than 20% may offer wholesale services on a voluntary basis.
The total economic value of the Voucher is set at 200€ per beneficiary household or small and medium enterprise.

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