Orange Belgium brings ultra-fast internet to Wallonia

Access to super-fast internet is crucial for any modern business. Unfortunately, high-speed connectivity is not yet available everywhere in Wallonia.

White zones

There are areas in Wallonia that have no fixed internet connection at all. The Walloon Region wants these “white zones” to also have internet access. Under the #GigaRégion plan, the region is targeting 2030, but for Orange Belgium that’s not soon enough. That’s why Orange is accelerating plans to modernise its fixed network. In the coming years, the municipalities in these white zones will benefit from ultra high-speed internet at speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

The work will be carried out in two phases. The first was completed in the spring and the second will connect 31 Walloon districts to the internet. This phase is scheduled to conclude no later than December 2025. Over three years, we are modernising a large part of the fibre optic network with coaxial connection. The result? Speeds of up to 1 Gbps in urban and rural areas of Wallonia and in the Brussels-Capital Region.

Ambitions

As part of its Lead the Future strategy, Orange Belgium aims to make its network available to everyone and every business in the country. We aim to be a leading telecom player in the Belgian market. Thanks to the strength of the Orange Group and through the expertise built by telecom operator VOO, Orange Belgium will be a leader in multi-gigabit networks for the B2C, B2B and wholesale markets by mid-2024. 95% of the Belgian population will then have internet access at speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

Today, 40% of Belgium can already rely on our 5G network for mobile internet and we continue to develop this network. Thanks to the rollout of 5G Standalone, private networks for businesses are also possible, all with support from Orange.

In addition, the acceleration of the GigaBoost programme will modernise VOO’s hybrid fibre coax network. Our goal is to provide gigabit speeds to 100% of customers in Wallonia and Brussels. Combined with VOO’s expertise and knowledge of cybersecurity and ICT, the future will also bring unlimited new opportunities for SMEs.