Cheaper, simpler, faster: the University of Vienna's new business phone contract

Drei Austria is replacing A1 as the University of Vienna's business phone operator. What are the advantages of the new contract?

Monika Neuwirth: The most important thing is that the costs have been reduced by 50 to 70 per cent. This is a great success that will be clearly felt by all organisational units affected. The new tariffs include telephony and data as standard and are designed as flat rates based on a fair-use principle. There are no extra data packages and no more surprise additional costs throughout the EU. For popular roaming destinations outside the EU, such as Switzerland and the UK, we will be able to offer more favourable prices in future.

What about the quality of the network?

Stefan Lippitsch: Previously, our SIM cards did not have access to the 5G network, but that will change now. All SIM cards in the new tariff can offer up to 300 Mbit download and 50 Mbit upload, whereas most cards currently offer a maximum of 40 Mbit down and 10 Mbit up. Voice-over-WIFI and Voice-over-LTE now also work with an additional SIM. In short: the business phone service will be cheaper, simpler and faster. 

How does the switch to the new provider actually happen?

Monika Neuwirth: The phone numbers will be ported and therefore remain the same, just like in the private area. The SIM cards must of course be exchanged. We are currently working with the new provider to determine how and when this will all happen – the target is April or May 2024. As soon as the timetable has been finalised, cost centre managers and business phone users will receive all the necessary information by e-mail.

What needs to be considered for the devices? The Keyword is SIM lock. 

Stefan Lippitsch: If you use a mobile phone that is more than 5 years old and was procured by the ZID, it is best to check now whether a SIM lock is installed. If this is the case, the mobile phone can be unlocked for a fee. However, it would be better to replace the mobile phone: Devices this old no longer receive updates and are therefore a security risk.