Major European Telecoms Provider Warms to Bitcoin, Sponsors Conference in Slovenia

Telekom Slovenije considers bitcoin as a payment
Telekom Slovenije considers bitcoin as a payment

Telekom Slovenije, the Slovenian national telecommunications provider, has told Cointelegraph its intention to consider Bitcoin as a payment option. Telekom Slovenjie provides a range of fixed line, mobile, and Internet communications services in Slovenia and mobile and Internet communications services in Macedonia and Kosovo.

In a written response to our enquiry in light of the company’s sponsorship of the forthcoming Bitcoin Central and Eastern European Conference, marketing director Simon Fural said that “while there are many uncertainties”, they “shall not shut the door to Bitcoin.” He added:

“We aspire to be a technologically advanced service operator. Therefore we closely follow the trends and the constantly emerging new technological ideas and advanced services, and Bitcoin is certainly one of them.”

Bitcoin Foundation Board member Elizabeth Ploshay, who will be attending the conference, tweeted the decision Monday:

Looking forward to the Central European Bitcoin Conference in Slovenia! The Conference is now supported by @TelekomSlo !!!

— Elizabeth Ploshay (@etploshay) August 26, 2014

-  Elizabeth Ploshay

2014 indeed looks to be a halcyon year for innovation at Telekom Slovenije, with the company having already been named as Microsoft’s Partner of the Year in Slovenia last month.

“The Telekom Slovenije Group achieves results with considerate and professional work, by recognizing trends, with in-house development, and due to our ability to quickly adapt to changes both within the field and within the broader economic environment,” Management Board Chairman Rudolf Skobe said in a press release following the announcement.

As Cointelegraph previously noted in its coverage of the run-up to the Conference, which will be held in Ljubljana in September, Slovenia is already well-placed to become a digital currency hotspot. Major European financial centers are within easy reach, while friendly legislation is providing the perfect incubatory environment for progress towards mass popularization.

Demand among the general populace for Bitcoin-related innovation is also tipped to be high, with the country placing ninth in the world in terms of the number of Google search requests regarding the currency, local publication Slovenia Times noted in June.

In the meantime, Telekom Slovenije says it will eye the market keenly, aware of Bitcoin’s demonstrated impact on traditional financial and communication methods. “…Although it is still too early to predict the future role of this digital currency… in the age of unlimited communications, Bitcoin is changing many of the established patterns and concepts,” Fural said. “Let us allow the progress to do its job.”

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