ICT intra-group subcontractors providing ICT servicesmeans digital and data services provided through ICT systems to one or more internal or external users on an ongoing basis, including hardware as a service and hardware services which includes the provision of technical support via software or firmware updates by the hardware provider, excluding traditional analogue telephone services; supporting critical or important functionsmeans a function, the disruption of which would materially impair the financial performance of a financial entity, or the soundness or continuity of its services and activities, or the discontinued, defective or failed performance of that function would materially impair the continuing compliance of a financial entity with the conditions and obligations of its authorisation, or with its other obligations under applicable financial services law; or material parts thereof, including those fully or collectively owned by financial entitiesas defined in Article 2, points (a) to (t) within the same institutional protection scheme, where applicable, should be considered as ICT subcontractors. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2022/2554, the requirements applicable for the use of intra-group subcontracting are the same as those applicable to non-intra-group subcontracting, regardless of the differences that may exist in the risks posed in both cases.