Broadband in Luxembourg

Summary of broadband development in Luxembourg

Broadband coverage already reaches almost 100% and Luxembourg is among the European leaders in terms of broadband coverage and penetration. Luxembourg’s ultra-high-speed broadband strategy 2021-2025 aims at high performance connectivity for all. A 5G taskforce and strategy was established to keep Luxembourg at the forefront of 5G connectivity.

National broadband strategy and policy

Responsible authorities

• The Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (Service des Médias, de la Connectivité et de la politique Numérique) of the Ministry of State (Ministère d'Etat) is in charge of broadband strategy, its coordination as well as implementation in Luxembourg.
• Digital Luxembourg, an initiative of the Ministry of State strengthens and guides digital developments in Luxembourg.
• The Luxembourg Regulation Institute (Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation) acts as the national regulatory authority with a mission to safeguard market competition.

Main aims for broadband development

Luxembourg’s ultra-high-speed broadband strategy 2021-2025 aims to achieve high performance connectivity for all. Objective 3 of the strategy is to accelerate the deployment of future-proof infrastructure, while respecting technological neutrality, to meet the current and future needs of all households, regardless of their geographical location. Eventually, the migration of all households to scalable future-proof technologies will optimise the energy efficiency of networks by progressively disconnecting the old fixed network.

To prevent the digital divide, the strategy highlights the importance of an affordable basic high-speed internet connection for everyone, defined as a minimum 100 Mbps download internet connection and 20 Mbps upload service. To provide this service to the most disadvantaged households, targeted measures will be assessed and implemented.

The ambition of the strategy is to ensure that every housing unit has access to at least one VHCN (Very High Capacity Network) network, defined as 1 Gbps download and 200 Mbps upload in a fixed network. The strategy prioritises households in remote areas that are not connected by a VHCN network. Connecting remote & rural homes is costly and public support may be considered for cases where private operators have no plans to expand networks.

A 5G taskforce was established to keep Luxembourg at the forefront of connectivity. 5G was launched by Post Luxembourg, Orange and Proximus in 2020. Luxembourg has drafted a 5G Strategy.

Main measures for broadband development

• Luxembourg’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) does not include any investment in connectivity, as the policy focus is on ensuring that private investment is sufficient to fulfil the objectives for 2025.
• The Checkmynet.lu tool measures the performance and quality of internet access services for end users and is free-of-charge. If a consumer finds the measured bandwidth to be lower than the one contracted, they can contact their provider. If they do not receive a reply or the reply is unsatisfactory, the consumer can use ILR’s mediation service free-of-charge.
• Broadband mapping: the government has developed a Broadband service mapping tool that shows the level of broadband coverage for each municipality in Luxembourg. The map is based on fixed network operators’ data (Docsis, VDSL and Fibre).
• Another important tool developed by the government is the National Road Works Register. This register contains all the applications for road and roadside permits, which have been submitted by businesses. It also contains information concerning public infrastructure works planned by communes and public administrators on telecommunications, gas, electricity and water networks, etc.
• Other measures:
  • Introduction of an obligation to provide reception infrastructure for fibre optic (municipalities have been asked to make reception infrastructure compulsory)
  • Introduction of an obligation to provide high speed broadband-ready in-house cabling in new dwellings (appropriate in-house cabling is compulsory for all newly constructed buildings, and already existing multi-dwelling buildings in the event of major renovation works, for which applications for building permits have been submitted after 31 December 2016)
  • Access of alternative operators to the network of the incumbent.

Data on broadband development and technologies in Luxembourg

For the latest data on broadband coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different broadband technologies check 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 report.

National and EU publications and press documents

• Ultra-high-speed broadband strategy 2021-2025
• Luxembourg's 5G Strategy
• Broadband service mapping system (GEOPORTAIL.LU)
• Carte de la couverture Internet ultra-haut débit
• National Road Works Register
• Broadband Investment Handbook
• Mobile and Fixed Broadband Prices in Europe 2022
• Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU27
• Broadband Connectivity Reports and Analyses

Contact information

BCO Luxembourg (national Broadband Competence Office): Ministry of State, Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy

Address: 5, Rue Plaetis, L-2338, Luxembourg
Contact via email
Phone: +352 247 86717
Website

Ministry of the Economy (Ministère de l'Économie)

Address: 19-21, boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg
Contact via email
Phone: +352 2478 4137
Website

Luxembourg Regulation Institute (Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation)

Address: 17, rue du Fossé, L-1536 Luxembourg
Contact via email
Phone: +352 28228 228
Website