Belgium Delays 5G Auction to 2020
Belgium's telecom sector sees further consolidation
There is considerable competition in Belgium's telecom market, particularly in the fixed broadband segment. The mobile market is dominated by Proximus, Telenet, and Orange Belgium.
The preference among customers for bundled services has prompted the MNOs to revamp their strategies. By the end of 2021 about 46% of all triple play offers included mobile (compared to only 16.6% at the end of 2014).
In practice, MNOs must be positioned to offer fixed-line services, and the viability of mobile-only providers weakened some years ago. Proximus and Telenet (the latter owned by Liberty Global, and having more than 1.7 million fixed broadband subscribers and about 2.95 million mobile subscribers as of March 2022) are both well position to provide bundled services. Maintain its competitive position in this market was one of the key reasons for Orange Belgium to acquire VOO (which operates in the French-speaking part of the country) in late 2021, so enabling the operator to expand the reach of its bundled offers.
At the time of the deal, VOO's HFC network reached 1.8 million premises (offering data rates of up to 1Gb/s). Coverage in Wallonia was 99%, while coverage in Brussels was 34%. Under Orange, VOO has stepped up its investment in FttP infrastructure, and in mid-2022 it was able to expand the reach of its 1Gb/s service to a number of other towns across the country. VOO expected that by the end of 2023 of would provide a gigabit service to half of all premises in Wallonia, and across all of the Brussels region.
Table of Contents
Key statistics- Regional Europe Market Comparison
- Market characteristics
- Market Leaders
- Market Challengers
- Market Emergents
- TMI versus GDP
- Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
- Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration
Country overview
- Telecommunications market
- Market analysis
Regulatory environment
- Historic overview
- Regulatory authority
- Fixed-line developments
- Mobile network developments
Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile infrastructure
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Mobile data
- Mobile broadband
- Major mobile operators
Fixed-line broadband market
- Market analysis
- Broadband statistics
- Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Networks
- Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
- Other fixed broadband services
Fixed network operators
- Introduction
- Proximus
- COLT Telecom
- Orange Belgium
- Scarlet (formerly KPN Belgium)
- Tele2 Belgium
- Telenet
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- Next Generation Network (NGN)
- International infrastructure
- Cloud services
- Smart meters
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Belgium 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Development of telecom market investment 2012 2021
- Table 3 Telecom market investment: network and licenses ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 4 Telecom investment as a proportion of revenue 2012 2021
- Table 5 Development of retail telecom revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 6 Development of wholesale telecom revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 7 Total telecom revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 8 Change in the number of fixed numbers ported 2012 2021
- Table 9 Carrier preselect numbers and annual change 2012 2021
- Table 10 Change in mobile roaming voice traffic 2015 2021
- Table 11 Development of mobile termination voice revenue 2012 2021
- Table 12 Change in the number of annual mobile numbers ported 2012 2021
- Table 13 Development of mobile revenue ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 14 Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 15 Market share by operator 2012 2019
- Table 16 Change in mobile ARPU 2012 2021
- Table 17 Development of mobile voice traffic 2012 2021
- Table 18 Average use of service per subscriber per month 2012 2021
- Table 19 Mobile prepaid and contract subscribers (residential, MNOs) (million) 2012 2021
- Table 20 LTE subscribers with data 2013 2021
- Table 21 3G subscribers with data 2013 2020
- Table 22 M2M connections 2012 2021
- Table 23 M2M revenue 2014 2021
- Table 24 Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's M2M connections 2012 2021
- Table 25 Growth in mobile data traffic 2012 2021
- Table 26 Average data traffic per subscribers per month 2013 2021
- Table 27 Increase in Proximus's average mobile data traffic (MB/month/subscriber) 2016 2021
- Table 28 Change in SMS traffic 2012 2021
- Table 29 Change in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by technology (million) 2012 2021
- Table 30 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 31 Development of Proximus's mobile revenue by sector (CBU) ( million) 2013 2022
- Table 32 Growth in the number of Proximus's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2022
- Table 33 Proximus CBU mobile subscribers by type (excluding M2M) (million) 2012 2022
- Table 34 Proximus annualised ARPU (CBU) by sector (/user/month) 2013 2022
- Table 35 Change in the number of Orange Belgium's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2021
- Table 36 Change in the number of Orange Belgium's MVNOs subscribers 2014 2021
- Table 37 Development of Orange Belgium's financial data ( million) 2013 2021
- Table 38 Development of Orange Belgium's mobile services revenue 2012 2021
- Table 39 Orange Belgium annualised ARPU 2012 2021
- Table 40 Change in Orange Belgium's mobile ARPO (/month) 2017 2021
- Table 41 Development of Telenet's mobile revenue 2012 2022
- Table 42 Growth in the number of Telenet's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2022
- Table 43 MVNO subscribers and market share 2012 2021
- Table 44 MVNO revenue 2012 2021
- Table 45 MVNO mobile voice traffic and market share 2012 2021
- Table 46 Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by technology (million) 2012 2021
- Table 47 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 48 Change in the number of broadband subscription net additions per year 2012 2021
- Table 49 Residential broadband revenue 2014 2018
- Table 50 Residential broadband ARPU 2013 2018
- Table 51 Fixed-line broadband penetration by service 2012 2021
- Table 52 Change in the proportion of fixed-broadband lines by speed 2012 2021
- Table 53 Change in the number of fixed-broadband lines by speed (thousand) 2012 2021
- Table 54 Growth in the number of Telenet's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 55 Growth in the number of Proximus's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 56 Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's broadband subscribers by type 2012 2021
- Table 57 Growth in the number of VDSL subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 58 Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 59 Fixed voice telephony revenue 2012 2018
- Table 60 Fixed-line and mobile traffic volume (billion minutes) 2012 2021
- Table 61 Fixed-line traffic by type (million minutes) 2012 2021
- Table 62 Change in the number of Proximus's access channels (CBU) (thousand) 2012 2022
- Table 63 Proximus Group financial data ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 64 Proximus revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 65 Proximus revenue by operating division ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 66 Proximus fixed-line services revenue by sector (CBU) ( million) 2012 2020
- Table 67 Proximus monthly ARPU by sector (CBU) (/month) 2012 2018
- Table 68 Development of Orange Belgium's financial data ( million) 2013 2021
- Table 69 Orange Belgium service revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 70 Orange Belgium retail service revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2021
- Table 71 Orange Belgium subscribers by sector (thousand) 2012 2021
- Table 72 Development of Telenet's financial data ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 73 Telenet revenue by sector ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 74 Telenet subscribers by sector (million) 2012 2022
- Table 75 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 76 Fixed lines by type (million) 2012 2021
- Table 77 Historic - Telecom market investment: fixed and mobile by sector ( million) 2006 2010; 2014 2016
- Table 78 Historic Broadband fixed-line subscribers by technology (thousand) 2000 2011
- Table 79 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate 1995 2011
- Table 80 Historic - Broadband subscription net additions per year 2005 2011
- Table 81 Historic - Telenet broadband subscribers 2006 2011
- Table 82 Historic - Mobile voice traffic 2005 2011
- Table 83 Historic - Fixed-line traffic by type (million minutes) 2005 2011
- Table 84 Historic - Carrier preselect numbers and annual change 2009 2011
- Table 85 Historic - Market share by operator 2009 2011
- Table 86 Historic - Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's M2M connections 2009 2011
- Table 87 Historic - Change in SMS traffic 2009 2011
- Table 88 Historic - Change in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by technology (thousand) 2008 2011
- Table 89 Historic - Development of Telenet's mobile revenue 2007 2011
- Table 90 Historic - Fixed-line broadband penetration by service 2007 2011
- Table 91 Historic - Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's broadband subscribers 2008 2011
- Table 92 Historic - Proximus Group financial data ( million) 2009 2011
- Table 93 Historic - Proximus revenue by sector ( million) 2009 2011
- Table 94 Historic - Proximus revenue by operating division ( million) 2007 2011
- Table 95 Historic - Development of Telenet's financial data ( million) 2009 2011
- Table 96 Historic - Telenet revenue by sector ( million) 2009 2011
- Table 97 Historic - Telenet subscribers by sector (million) 2009 2011
List of Charts
- Chart 1 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Leaders
- Chart 2 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Challengers
- Chart 3 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Emergents
- Chart 4 Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
- Chart 5 Europe Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 6 Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 7 Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 8 Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 9 Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
- Chart 10 Development of telecom market investment 2012 2021
- Chart 11 Telecom market investment: network and licenses 2012 2021
- Chart 12 Development of retail telecom revenue by sector 2012 2021
- Chart 13 Development of wholesale telecom revenue by sector 2012 2021
- Chart 14 Total telecom revenue by sector 2012 2021
- Chart 15 Change in the number of fixed numbers ported 2012 2021
- Chart 16 Carrier preselect numbers and annual change 2012 2021
- Chart 17 Change in mobile roaming voice traffic 2015 2021
- Chart 18 Development of mobile termination voice revenue 2012 2021
- Chart 19 Change in the number of annual mobile numbers ported 2012 2021
- Chart 20 Development of mobile revenue 2012 2021
- Chart 21 Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 22 Market share by operator 2012 2019
- Chart 23 Change in mobile ARPU 2012 2021
- Chart 24 Development of mobile voice traffic 2012 2021
- Chart 25 Mobile prepaid and contract subscribers (residential, MNOs) 2012 2021
- Chart 26 LTE subscribers with data 2013 2021
- Chart 27 3G subscribers with data 2013 2020
- Chart 28 M2M connections 2012 2021
- Chart 29 M2M revenue 2014 2021
- Chart 30 Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's M2M connections 2012 2021
- Chart 31 Growth in mobile data traffic 2012 2021
- Chart 32 Average data traffic per subscribers per month 2013 2021
- Chart 33 Change in SMS traffic 2012 2021
- Chart 34 Change in the number of mobile broadband subscribers by technology 2012 2021
- Chart 35 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 36 Development of Proximus's mobile revenue by sector (CBU) 2013 2022
- Chart 37 Growth in the number of Proximus's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 38 Proximus CBU mobile subscribers by type (excluding M2M) 2012 2022
- Chart 39 Proximus annualised ARPU (CBU) by sector 2013 2022
- Chart 40 Change in the number of Orange Belgium's mobile subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 41 Change in the number of Orange Belgium's MVNOs subscribers 2014 2021
- Chart 42 Development of Orange Belgium's financial data 2013 2021
- Chart 43 Development of Orange Belgium's mobile services revenue 2012 2021
- Chart 44 Change in Orange Belgium's mobile ARPO 2017 2021
- Chart 45 Development of Telenet's mobile revenue 2012 2022
- Chart 46 Growth in the number of Telenet's mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 47 MVNO subscribers and market share 2012 2021
- Chart 48 Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by technology 2012 2021
- Chart 49 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 50 Change in the number of broadband subscription net additions per year 2012 2021
- Chart 51 Change in the proportion of fixed-broadband lines by speed 2012 2021
- Chart 52 Change in the number of fixed-broadband lines by speed 2012 2021
- Chart 53 Growth in the number of Telenet's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 54 Growth in the number of Proximus's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 55 Growth in the number of Orange Belgium's broadband subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 56 Growth in the number of VDSL subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 57 Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 58 Fixed voice telephony revenue 2012 2018
- Chart 59 Fixed-line and mobile traffic volume 2012 2021
- Chart 60 Fixed-line traffic by type 2012 2021
- Chart 61 Change in the number of Proximus's access channels (CBU) 2012 2022
- Chart 62 Proximus Group financial data 2012 2022
- Chart 63 Proximus revenue by sector 2012 2022
- Chart 64 Proximus revenue by operating division 2012 2022
- Chart 65 Proximus fixed-line services revenue by sector (CBU) 2012 2020
- Chart 66 Proximus monthly ARPU by sector (CBU) 2012 2018
- Chart 67 Development of Orange Belgium's financial data 2013 2021
- Chart 68 Orange Belgium service revenue by sector 2012 2021
- Chart 69 Orange Belgium retail service revenue by sector 2012 2021
- Chart 70 Development of Telenet's financial data 2012 2022
- Chart 71 Telenet revenue by sector 2012 2022
- Chart 72 Telenet subscribers by sector 2012 2022
- Chart 73 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 74 Fixed lines by type 2012 2021
List of Exhibits
- Exhibit 1 Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
- Exhibit 2 Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
- Exhibit 3 Europe Market Leaders and market developments
- Exhibit 4 Europe Market Challengers and market developments
- Exhibit 5 Europe Market Emergents and market developments
- Exhibit 6 800MHz auction results 2013
- Exhibit 7 2.6GHz auction results 2011
- Exhibit 8 Spectrum assignment overview
- Exhibit 9 Key global developments towards 5G standardisation
- Exhibit 10 5G spectrum, speed, and devices
- Exhibit 11 Key considerations for government and regulators in relation to 5G
- Exhibit 12 Main DSL service providers
- Exhibit 13 WiMAX spectrum licenses 2001 2005
