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COST OF LIVING

Cost of living: Phone and Internet costs set to rise in Austria

Inflation has prompted Austrian telecom providers to hike telephone and Internet prices as early as April.

Published: 3 March 2023 17:32 CET
Austria's main telecoms providers will be hiking prices to deal with soaring energy costs.
Austria's main telecoms providers will be hiking prices to deal with soaring energy costs. Pictured is a person using a smart phone. Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

The A1 telecom company is slated to bring in rates that are about 8.5 percent higher for both landline and mobile customers on April 1st. Mobile customers will see an increase of anywhere from €2.20 to €6 a month, while landline hikes will be anywhere from €2.30 to €4.50.

The company has about 2.4 million customers in Austria, or just over a quarter of the population.

Drei is also raising its rates, but by a little less on average. Phone plans are slated to go up about €2.20 per month, while data plans will see about a €2 increase.

READ ALSO: Cost of living: 45 ways to save money in Austria

Magenta has not confirmed whether it will be raising rates or not, although Tarife.at Managing Director Maximilian Schirmer tells Der Standard he expects competitors will also end up raising rates. Some customers may not be affected by the increases until their current contract concludes, though.

 
A1 notes that electricity costs have quadrupled in the last year and the network is expanding, which accounts for the increase in prices.

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COST OF LIVING

Austria to hike amount to be paid out for 2024 ‘Klimabonus’ payment

Austrian authorities will soon start sending out the so-called Klimabonus payment, and it will be a higher amount than last year.

Published: 15 May 2024 14:57 CEST
Austria to hike amount to be paid out for 2024 'Klimabonus' payment

The Klimabonus or climate bonus is a part of Austria’s eco-social tax reform, a set of measures to promote climate protection.

One such action includes a tax on CO2 emissions, which increases fuel prices and affects Austrian drivers. The annual Klimabonus payment aims to offset this expense. 

The payment of this year’s climate bonus will see an increase due to the higher CO2 pricing, and so will range between €145 and €290. Last year, the bonuses varied from €110 to €220. The new figures were announced by the Austrian government after the meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, May 15th, reported ORF.

Payments will be made after the summer

You will receive the bonus if you have had your main residence in Austria registered for more than six months.

As during the precious years, the payment will be made after the summer – by bank transfers and postal deliveries via RSa letter. If you received the payment to your bank account last years, you should update your account details to finanzonline.at to ensure that everything is in order.

READ ALSO: Vienna reveals new plan for how to move away from gas heating

How much will you get?

The idea is that people who live in cities where they can rely on eco-friendly public transportation will receive a lower portion of the bonus. Those who instead have limited access to public transportation and need to pay higher costs, such as for using their car for travelling, will receive a larger portion of the bonus.

The government has created four different categories which decide how much residents in different locations will receive.

  • Category 1: Urban centres with very good infrastructure and excellent public transport facilities, such as Vienna. In Category 1 regions, there is no additional regional compensation, so the payment remains at the base amount (€145 per person).
  • Category 2: Urban centres with good infrastructure and solid public transport facilities, including cities like Graz, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, or St. Pölten. In Category 2 regions, the regional compensation is 33 percent of the base amount (€195 per person).
  • Category 3: Urban centres and surrounding areas with basic public transport facilities or good basic public transport options. Examples of category three regions are Groß-Enzersdorf, Wolfsberg, or Mittersill. In Category 3 regions, the regional compensation is 66 percent of the base amount (€245 per person).
  • Category 4: Rural communities and communities with only basic public transport facilities. Examples of category four regions include Mariazell, Werfen, and Sölden. In Category 4 regions, the regional compensation is 100 percent of the base amount (€290 per person).

READ MORE: Austria climate activist aims to take fight to Brussels

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