Vodafone Hungary helps Ukrainian refugees with free SIM cards. To apply for and receive the card, the service provider has set up temporary kiosks in the BOK hall and at the Beregsurány border crossing, so that refugees can obtain a SIM card as quickly and easily as possible. Cards can also be obtained from any Vodafone store.
SIM cards are loaded with 5 GB of data by the service provider, and phone calls to Ukraine are free.
Vodafone is also supporting entrepreneurs who will start a business in Hungary between March and May with the hope of starting over. They will be able to use certain unlimited mobile voice and internet packages for free for the first six months, making it easier for them to run their new business.
Quick Recruitment
The company is also trying to help refugees who have decided to settle in Hungary and would like to work here in the future. So the service provider offers express recruitment to Ukrainians or other nationalities who were forced to flee Ukraine as a result of the crisis and prove that they are suitable candidates for certain jobs. Of course, Vodafone will allow its new employees to operate in a hybrid manner, as well as provide support with visa applications and potential transfers.
In addition to Hungary, the initiative works in other Vodafone subsidiaries, including Albania, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Ukrainian TV channels
The company also supports refugee access to relevant information, so there are two Ukrainian-language TV channels on offer. In addition, the service provider has added a Ukrainian audio clip to the Da Vinci educational channel, thus trying to provide entertainment and educational opportunities for Ukrainian children and adolescents.
Roaming is free for now
Previously, Vodafone – like Magyar Telekom and Yettel – provided free roaming, calls and SMS to its customers in Ukraine, as well as calls and SMS from Hungary to Ukraine. All this also significantly redrawn the sales of the three carriers.
Vodafone Hungary Foundation supports the work of relief organizations, including Hungarian Ecumenical Relief and the Hungarian Maltese Charitable Service, totaling HUF 55 million, as well as the long-term integration of refugees. In addition, wifihotspots and phone charging stations have been installed at border crossings, train stations, and refugee shelters. The company also provides opportunities for employees to help: Vodafone employees can make financial and in-kind donations, as well as volunteer work. To date, Vodafone employees have volunteered for nearly 350 hours in connection with the situation in Ukraine and together with VOIS (Vodafone International Service Center in Budapest) have offered 1.5 million HUF.
