Proximus signs the opaque fiber network with the Flemish government

Proximus announces the signature of an agreement with the Flemish Prime Minister Geert Bourgeois and the Minister of Innovation Philippe Muyters on the digital network of the future. The aim of the agreement is to place Flemish businesses and households in the front rank of "innovative digitization".

Concretely, Proximus will make available an optical fiber network that will link all addresses, both commercial and consumer, in Flanders. Dominique Leroy, Managing Director of the Proximus Group: "Proximus is fully committed to deploying its fiber optic network. With this future-oriented network, we want to cover the long-term nuclei of all cities and municipalities in Flanders in order to provide families with the best connectivity possible. In addition, our goal is to connect as many companies as possible to this network to give a boost to digital development. We share this objective with the Flemish Government and we are satisfied with its vision, which aims to facilitate the deployment of this network as much as possible. "

Conditions: high coverage, open network, fair prices

2017 the Flemish government announced its ambitions to build a network for the future, and Minister Muyters listed four conditions that the network must meet: time-tested ability, a sufficiently high coverage rate, open access for other market players and fair and competitive compensation, he added that he wanted to achieve this network with the private market.

The Flemish Government and Proximus have reached an agreement on the joint fulfillment of these four conditions, which means that Proximus offers guarantees for the speed of the network, openness and fair prices for the other players and the most The Flemish government will create good prerequisites for fulfilling these commitments, as promised.

Proxi mus wants to consult

The projects of the Flemish government came up against criticisms from Proximus and Telenet last year, as Minister Muyters said to start a much needed government enterprise to carry out the plans. Proximus, however, showed his willingness to speak. Proximus CEO Dominique Leroy: "I understand Mr Muyters when he says that 50% is insufficient, but then let's find a way to do it together."

Fluvius puts pressure on negotiations

The operator Belgian network and public company Fluvius was launched a few weeks ago as a party capable of installing a fiber optic network in Flanders. Fluvius found it logical to speak with existing players first, but was ready to take part in the conversations. Director Vanbrabant says that he can fulfill the conditions.