Get started with 5G at Orange

5G, the long-awaited fifth-generation mobile network, is progressively becoming a reality. In July 2022, the auction of the available 5G spectrum was concluded, and now the operational rollout of this future-oriented wireless network infrastructure can truly begin.

Industry 4.0: pioneering innovation

As a 5G pioneer, Orange is leading in the auction of the new 5G frequency bands and in the rollout itself. At the end of 2019 we were the first provider in Belgium to launch a 5G standalone network for companies in the port of Antwerp, where we immediately established three use categories:

• Improved mobile broadband
• Ultra-reliable and always-on network with low latency
• Connection with a huge number of devices

During the public auction in July 2022, we acquired the maximum for new 5G core frequencies: 20 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 100 MHz in the 3.6 GHz band.

Thanks to this additional spectrum, we can offer both high-quality coverage and high capacity, including for future 5G services. At the same time, we are guaranteeing the continuity of our 4G technology, which today covers nearly the entire Belgian population.

Both 4G and 5G offer unequalled possibilities in terms of voice quality, data performance, CO₂ emission reduction, IoT and network coverage. We are thus using the new spectrum distribution to optimise our network as a whole and to maximise its evolution to 4G and 5G. These technologies are not only more secure, more resilient and more energy-efficient, they are also operational in most European countries.

The power of co-creation

For us, the value of innovation is less in the technology itself than in what you can do with it. Think, for example, of making your production sites more efficient, more secure and more sustainable. We offer large industrial companies marketing and technical support and explore appropriate applications to identify the genuine added value of 5G.

Companies are sure to find inspiration in our 5G labs in Antwerp and Liège, where they can get to know the 5G network and its many applications and experiment with their own products and services. They can also draw on the expertise we have developed in setting up 5G standalone networks. Furthermore, within the Orange Group we actively exchange knowledge and working methods on the global level, and of course we reap the benefits of such exchanges locally.

Subsidies for your 5G project

The federal government wants to maximise the social and economic potential of 5G technology and is launching a call for 5G projects. 24 million euros in subsidies will be issued for projects in 2023 and 2024 that have 5G as the major differentiator. We will organise an information session on 23 August 2022 to explain the details of the application, eligibility criteria and subsidy rates. Projects can be submitted until mid-October 2022.