Summary of broadband development in Belgium
The national plan for fixed and mobile broadband, announced in April 2021, will eliminate the remaining white areas where high speed services are unavailable and covers the period 2022-2024. It supports the achievement of the European gigabit connectivity 2025 targets.
National and regional broadband strategy and policy
Responsible authorities
- The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and the Postal Services is responsible for issues concerning Telecom, and together with the Secretary of State of Digitalisation both are responsible for issues concerning the Digital Agenda.
- The FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy is the federal public service in charge of the economic policy in Belgium. The FPS supports the Belgian telecommunication sector in developing and implementing regulations and in stimulating innovation.
- The Belgian Institute for Postal services and Telecommunications (BIPT) is the regulator for electronic communications. It has among others the task to promote competition, to contribute to the development of the internal market and to protect the users' interests. BIPT is involved in many aspects of the national broadband strategy. It especially gathers, analyses and presents information on the supply of broadband services, in order to stimulate the roll out of broadband networks and to identify the remaining white areas. The BIPT launched the website www.fibreinfo.be informing about fibre roll-out. It answers the questions of end users, operators, municipalities and property owners about the technology, the possibilities, the rights and obligations etc. regarding fibre.
- Wallonia: the Agence du Numérique (AdN) is a limited liability company under public law, in charge of ICT development in Wallonia. The Agence du Numérique is in charge of putting into operation the strategy for Digital Wallonia 2019-2024, set up by the Walloon government to fill the gap in digital development -including broadband networks- and help the region in its digital transformation.
Main aims for broadband development
Digital Belgium sets five priorities:
- Digital infrastructure,
- Digital confidence and digital security,
- Digital government,
- Digital economy, and
- Digital skills and jobs.
Belgium’s Federal Council of Ministers launched on 30 April 2021 a national plan for fixed and mobile broadband, which is to eliminate the remaining white areas where high speed services are unavailable (estimated 138.000 households). Under the plan, the white areas (estimated 2% of territory) will be mapped as a first step to facilitating the deployment of high speed services, for example by stimulating investment by operators. In addition, a special government unit with responsibility for implementing the plan and monitoring progress will be set up, while a Broadband Competence Office will deal with all relevant issues relating to the cooperation between public and private stakeholders and support implementation of the EU Connectivity Toolbox. The plan is built around 5 axes:
- mapping network coverage and identifying white areas,
- facilitating the rollout of broadband by creating a temporary national BCO that will coordinate more extensively the cooperation between public authorities and operators or investors, as well as the implementation of the EU Connectivity Toolbox,
- encouraging investment in the white areas without fast internet,
- creating support for fibre and 5G rollout through the web site about 5G www.over5g.be,
- the establishment of a cell Broadband within the FPS Economy.
By reducing administrative burdens and lowering roll-out costs of network operators, the government is stimulating the roll-out of new broadband technologies (fibre, LTE advanced, 5G). For example, every house that is being built or renovated in the future will need to be fibre ready. Moreover, a proactive 5G framework is to ensure Belgium is ready when the Internet-of-everything is rolled out.
The Belgian government commits to reducing administrative burdens and costs of deployment of ICT infrastructures. The strategy is under review by the new government in cooperation with a number of industry stakeholders (the Digital Minds).
Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 sets the framework for the Walloon Government’s actions in terms of Wallonia’s digital transformation. Digital Wallonia is structured around eight cross-disciplinary challenges that form its structured framework and its key elements for all the decisions made and the measures taken within the five themes of Digital Wallonia. One of the challenges is Giga Region - Super-fast broadband for everyone as the bedrock of digital initiatives.
Measures for broadband development
Roadmap to implement the Connectivity Toolbox: Belgium announced plans to assess the need for permit exemptions, identify opportunities to further digitalise permit application procedures, provide guidance to local entities that would not apply cost-based fees, further improve the digital availability of information, mainly by strengthening synergies between different sources, and encourage access to the physical infrastructure of public bodies.
Recovery and Resilience Plan: the plan includes investments and key reforms related to connectivity. At federal level, Belgium approved a national plan for fixed and mobile broadband. It includes a mapping of connectivity, allowing the country to identify potential white areas and to boost investments in these areas.
The federal government decided also to invest EUR 41 million in the roll-out of fixed broadband internet in the so called white areas in the forthcoming years.
At regional level, all regions will consider modifying their electromagnetic fields (EMF) emission norms, which are currently an obstacle to 5G rollout, especially in Wallonia and in the Brussels region. EUR 19.5 million will be dedicated to supporting the deployment of FTTH in the German-speaking community. Wallonia will also invest in connecting business parks and schools (EUR 70.3 million).
Broadband mapping: The BIPT provides a mapping system for broadband (per technology) showing where Internet access is available at a particular speed. In this way, areas where high-performance infrastructure is not yet present (white areas) and additional measures are necessary can be identified. In addition to the mobile and broadband maps, the BIPT will also develop a dedicated FTTH fibre map.
There are mapping tools with infrastructure information provided on the regional level. An example is the KLIP – Kabel en Leiding Informatie Portal database in Flanders, which provides relevant information for planning, permit applicants, cable and pipeline operators as well as public administration.
A similar portal exists at federal scale: KLIM-CICC - Contact federal Informations Câbles et Conduites. Here, when planning works, one can either check whether there are any installations and pipelines for the transport of hazardous products or high-voltage cables as well as other cables or lines nearby, or announce the works to the cable operators and cable operators who will provide all necessary information.
The Walloon Region also has its own web-enabled portal to assist in the coordination of works planning, called Powalco. Digital Wallonia launched a new regional alert platform for broadband connectivity problems: Digital Wallonia Connect. This platform was developed with the cooperation of the three mobile Telecom operators in the frame of the “ToP” agreement.
GIPOD in the Flemish Region and Osiris in the Brussels Capital Region are portals that assist in the coordination of civil works.
Data on broadband development and technologies in Belgium
For the latest data on broadband coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different broadband technologies and costs check the scoreboard reports and the country reports of the Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI).
Spectrum assignments for wireless broadband
For details on harmonised spectrum assignments consult the European 5G Observatory.
National and EU publications and press documents
- Digital Belgium
- fibreinfo - central information point about fibre roll-out in Belgium
- Digital Wallonia Strategy 2019-2024
- Study on National Broadband Plans
- Guide to High-Speed Broadband Investment
- Broadband Connectivity Reports and Analyses
- Mobile and fixed broadband prices in Europe
- Study on broadband coverage
- Breedbandplan
- Alles over 5G
Contact information
BCO Belgium (national Broadband Competence Office): Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Middle Classes, and Energy
Address: Rue du Progrès 50 – 1210 Bruxelles, Belgium
Contact via email
Phone: +32 2 2 77 88 78
Website
FPS Economy, SMEs, Self-Employed and Energy – Directorate General for Economic Regulation
Address: City Atrium, Rue du Progrès 50, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
Contact via email
Phone: +32 2 277 77 59
Website
Agence du Numérique (Wallonia)
Address: Avenue Prince de Liège 133, 5100 Jambes-Namur, Belgium
Contact via email
Phone: +32 81 77 80 58
Website
Latest News
Related Content
Big Picture
Find current information on broadband development in each country, as well as national strategies and policies for developing broadband.
See Also
Sweden’s national broadband plan, adopted in 2016, has the vision of an entirely connected Sweden and has goals for both mobile coverage and for high-speed broadband connections for households and businesses.
Digital connectivity and 5G rollout are among the ten strategic priorities of the Spain Digital 2025 Agenda.
Slovenia opts for technological neutrality and market dynamics in developing broadband networks, in particular infrastructure- and service-based competition.
Slovakia has set the long-term objective of providing all households with access to ultra-fast internet by 2030.
Romania focuses on building up a national broadband network as a step towards achieving the EU connectivity targets.
The Agenda Portugal Digital and the National Strategy for Connectivity in Very High Capacity Electronic Communication Networks for 2023-2030 shape development of a digital infrastructure in Portugal.
Poland’s national broadband plan 2025 is in line with the EU’s Gigabit Society targets.
All households in the Netherlands should have the opportunity to access broadband networks of at least 100 Mbps and a vast majority should be taking advantage of 1 Gbps by 2023.
Malta’s broadband policy is technology-neutral and favours a competitive market environment.
The development of a communication infrastructure with a target of gigabit broadband access throughout the country is one of the priorities in the governmental programme of Luxembourg.
Lithuania aims to provide 100 Mbps by 2027 to rural areas as well supporting the Gigabit society targets 2025.
Latvia supports the Gigabit society targets and aims at 100 Mbps, upgradable to gigabit, for urban and rural areas as well as 5G coverage for all large urban areas.
The Italian Strategy for Ultra Broadband Towards the Gigabit Society aims to provide gigabit connectivity to all by 2026.
The national broadband plan for Ireland foresees that by 2026 all premises in Ireland will have access to high-speed broadband.
Hungary’s National Digitalisation Strategy 2021-2030 aims to achieve a target of 95% of households covered by gigabit networks by 2030.
The National Broadband Plan 2021-2027 promotes the use of fixed very high capacity and 5G networks. The Greek Digital Transformation Bible 2020-2025 highlights connectivity as one of the five strategic axes and acknowledges the Gigabit Society 2025 targets.
The 2021 coalition agreement, the Digital Strategy and the Gigabit Strategy 2022 of the German Federal Government prioritise the nationwide supply of FTTH and 5G networks.
The national broadband programme France Très Haut Débit sets a target of fast broadband access for all households by 2022 and fibre for all by 2025.
The Finnish authorities favour a competition-driven, fibre-based network roll-out assisted by public funds for underserved areas and advice for local municipalities on how to deploy broadband networks.
Estonia has established basic broadband coverage throughout the country. The Estonian Digital Agenda sets ambitious targets for 2030.
A number of political initiatives aiming at nation-wide fixed and mobile broadband coverage support Danish broadband goals. The Government works towards making Denmark a digital frontrunner by creating a foundation for Danish businesses to exploit digital technologies.
The National Plan for the Development of Very High Capacity Networks, approved in March 2021, defines the strategic approach of the Czech Republic to the construction of VHCN.
Cyprus’ broadband plan sets strategic objectives for 2021-2025 and includes legislative and regulatory interventions as well as practical support for the development of broadband infrastructure.
Croatian National Plan for Broadband Development 2021–2027 responds to the European Gigabit Society objectives 2025 and partially to the 2030 digital targets.
The National Broadband Infrastructure Plan for Next Generation Access "Connected Bulgaria" and the Policy on electronic communications were updated and adopted in August 2020.
Austria’s broadband strategy focuses on the nationwide supply of Gigabit connections (fixed and mobile) by 2030.