Hungarian city pings on SMS-based e-Gov

With mobile penetration close to 100 per cent in Hungary, Békéscsaba municipality, a county seat close to the Hungarian-Romanian border, has introduced SMS-based e-Government services to offer round-the-clock wireless e-administration services.

According to ePratice report, the low rate of penetration of the Internet in the Hungarian market, which acts as a major obstacle to using web-based e-Government services, has led to provide this kind of solution.

The new cheap and user-friendly service need not require a citizen to be technologically savvy for using it.

Presently, the services being offered under this new facility cover the document office, including ID cards, addresses, driving licences, vehicle registration and number plates, and taxation and social policy.

After sending the word ‘WAP’—wireless application protocol—to a designated number, citizens can start browsing a menu system and read about requirements, necessary documents, stamp duties and fees, reports ePractice.

Once they are sure about what services they need, an appointment can be made by them and they only need to show up five minutes before the agreed time. Besides, they can also provide data over the phone in advance to speed up the process.

To get a specific form, citizens, through an SMS, can specify their email address to which the office can send the form. The new service also promises hassle-free, fast and one-stop-shop municipality service, anywhere and anytime, the report added.