Overview of Proximus
Proximus (formerly Belgacom) is the largest telecommunications operator in Belgium, headquartered in Brussels. The history of Proximus dates back to 1930 with the establishment of Belgium's national telecommunications administration. In 1992, it was restructured into Belgacom, and in 2015 it was renamed Proximus. Proximus leads the Belgian market in mobile, fixed broadband, and enterprise services, and also operates in the Netherlands through its subsidiary Scarlet. It is one of the most important communication service providers in Brussels, the EU headquarters, and the Benelux region.
For Belgian and EU institutions and for multinational companies, Proximus offers M2M connectivity, an IoT platform, and smart-city work. Brussels, as the seat of the EU, has many international organisations, and Proximus IoT is used for smart cities, smart buildings, and connected vehicles.
Proximus facts
- Founded: 1930 (Belgian telecom administration); Belgacom in 1992
- Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
- Shareholder: The Belgian federal government holds about 53%
- Mobile users: about 5 million (Belgium)
- Broadband users: about 2 million
- Market share: about 45% of the Belgian mobile market
- Other markets: Scarlet in the Netherlands, Tango in Luxembourg
- Radio access: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M
- Annual revenue: about EUR 6 billion
- Listing: Euronext: PROX
History and milestones
Proximus goes back to 1930, when Belgium set up the Régie des Télégraphes et des Téléphones (RTT). In 1992 RTT became Belgacom and was partly privatised. In 1996 Belgacom launched the Proximus mobile brand. In 2004 Belgacom bought Proximus, then Belgium's second-largest operator (formerly Mobistar), and used one mobile brand. In 2015 Belgacom was renamed Proximus. It has long provided communications to the Belgian government, EU institutions, and NATO headquarters.
On IoT, Proximus connects the Brussels smart-city project. Because Belgium hosts the EU, it also serves IoT for many international organisations. Proximus Enterprise offers M2M, dedicated APNs, and global roaming.
Core technical capabilities
EU institutions
Communications for EU bodies and international organisations in Brussels, including IoT with strict compliance needs
Smart city
Smart-city projects in Brussels and other Belgian cities
Benelux
Belgium plus Scarlet in the Netherlands, for IoT across the Benelux
Proximus Enterprise
Built for large companies and international organisations
Network standards and coverage
| Technology | Coverage | Uses | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Nationwide in Belgium | Primary IoT connectivity | Main network |
| 5G NR | Major cities in Belgium | High-speed IoT and industrial use | Still expanding |
| NB-IoT | Main regions of Belgium | Smart metering and sensors | In commercial service |
| LTE-M | Some areas of Belgium | Mobile IoT devices | Expanding in stages |
Industry Solutions
Smart city
- Smart parking
- Public lighting
- Environmental monitoring
- Municipal facilities
Smart buildings
- Building automation
- Energy management
- Security monitoring
- EU institution facilities
Connected vehicles
- Fleet management
- eCall
- Vehicle tracking
- Logistics
Utilities
- Smart electricity meters
- Remote water-meter reading
- Energy management
- Municipal metering
Competitive advantages
- Brussels: Serves EU institutions and international organisations
- Market position: Belgium's largest operator, with a leading share
- Government: The Belgian government is a shareholder, including work on key projects
- Benelux: Operations in Belgium and the Netherlands
- Enterprise: Support aimed at large companies and international organisations
Support
Enterprise support
- Proximus Enterprise team
- IoT solution consulting
- Account managers
- Support in more than one language
Platform
- M2M connection management
- SIM lifecycle
- Dedicated APN
- Global roaming
Compliance and security
- GDPR compliance
- EU data protection
- Belgian security standards
- Critical infrastructure