On April 25th, the options for how to purchase a virtual highway vignette will increase once more. Customers will be able to purchase from the whole range of highway vignettes, using iziSHOP®, a service developed by Hedz Ltd. The service allows customers to make purchases using their bank cards via their mobile telephones, uniquely, without service charges.

Collaboration between Hedz Ltd. and Hungarian State Highway Operations (HSHO) Ltd. will provide travelers with a new way to purchase virtual highway vignettes, as of April 25th. The full selection of virtual highway vignettes (1-day, 4-day, week-long and month-long) will be available through iziSHOP, which uses mobile telephones to make purchases paid by bank card. Simply sending an SMS will allow the user to download this application to their telephone, which uses modern GPRS technology. The download will add the iziSHOP® application to the telephone’s menu, through which the user can quickly and easily purchase highway vignettes.

A unique feature of this system is that it is independent of the mobile service provider; all purchases are made by bank card and do not affect pre-paid calling cards or telephone bills. Inter-Europa Bank, Hedz Ltd’s banking partner, insures the security of electronic payments using MasterCard and Visa bank cards. Another advantage of the service is that it can be used by both Hungarian and foreign mobile telephone users. The system can be accessed in Hungarian, English and German and the selection of languages is continually growing. Additionally, the new service does not charge a service fee for the purchase of virtual highway vignettes. The cost of the transaction to the user is less than the price of an SMS, but depending on their mobile telephone contract, it may even be free.

HSHO Ltd’s system for purchasing virtual vignettes has been functioning since spring 2006. Initially drivers could purchase vignettes via SMS, then, from the end of the year, over the internet or by making a telephone call. The service provided by Hedz Ltd. is the fourth alternative for the easy and safe purchase of vignettes, as there are no line-ups and the purchase can be made in just minutes. iziSHOP® provides travelers the advantage of signing-up while on the road, since there is no need for prior contracts or payments, just simply send an SMS. HSHO Ltd. continually aims to meet the needs of its clients and is pleased to announce that, among its partners involved in electronic sales, Hedz Ltd. is the first to carry out transactions without service fees.

The success of the virtual highway vignettes sales systems can been seen from the fact that 7.7% of the 1.8 million vignettes that were purchased in the first 3 months of 2007 were purchased electronically. Hungarian State Highway Operations Ltd. is always open to new initiatives to broaden alternative purchasing services and allow more clients to purchase vignettes with ease and fewer service charges.