Copyright © BusinessAMBE 2023

Fiber optics for faster data traffic is making its way across Belgium. Laying cables is quite an undertaking, which is why cooperation is in full swing. The two big telecom players Proximus and Telenet are working on such a deal.

In the news: Three major parties - Proximus, Telenet with a majority stake in the company Wyre and Orange - are talking about cooperation, knows De Tijd.

  • Telecom regulator BIPT previously gave the go-ahead for cooperation on the installation of fiber optic cables. Because digging is very expensive, especially in sparsely populated areas, cooperation between operators is very important. The deadline for cooperation agreements has been set for May 15. These must be submitted to the watchdog for approval.
  • In this regard, it is the big players who are taking the cake. Various joint ventures and foreign collaborations do not come up. The likely deals would be between Proximus and Wyre in Flanders and Proximus and Voo in Wallonia. Voo was acquired by Orange. In Brussels, Proximus wants to go it alone, writes De Tijd.
  • Priority would be given to Flanders, as Wallonia would be less important in terms of impact. The agreement between Proximus and Telenet is said to be largely fixed, but the details have not yet been finalized.

Boundaries not yet fixed

Zoomed in: The outline of the agreement deals mainly with the so-called "B zones.

  • The negotiations divide Flanders into three zones. The A zones are the big cities, B zones regions that are less densely populated and C zones are the most rural.
  • A deal between Proximus and Telenet would mainly include the B zones, although the boundaries of each zone are also not yet clearly defined. An agreement for the C zones, where fiber optic sites are most expensive, would not be concluded until later. This may also involve the new Flemish government.
  • Due to the complexity of the file, it is also possible that the agreement will be concluded in phases. The first deal need not be detailed, it is heard. By the way, the BIPT's deadline is not very strict: it wants to reconsider the date if the telecom companies want to finalize deals "within a reasonable time" after May 15.

© The Content Exchange, source News