Belgium Communications - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,634,639 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 11,529,728 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: mobile networks have been upgraded to support growing mobile data use among subscribers, with near-comprehensive LTE coverage; operators have also trialed 5G in preparation for launching services; the auction of 5G-suitable spectrum has been delayed to the beginning of 2022, while the onerous restrictions on radiation have meant that some 5G trials have been suspended; there is effective competition in Belgium between the DSL and cable platforms, while in recent years government support has also encouraged investment in fiber networks; in a bid to encourage investment in under served areas, the regulator in 2018 amended the conditions by which market players grant wholesale access to copper and fiber infrastructure; in May 2019 it opened a further consultation on cost models for access to the networks of cablecos and fiber infrastructure (2021)

domestic: about 31 per 100 fixed-line and 99 per 100 mobile-cellular; nationwide mobile-cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network (2020)

international: country code - 32; landing points for Concerto, UK-Belgium, Tangerine, and SeaMeWe-3, submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Broadcast media

a segmented market with the three major communities (Flemish-, French-, and German-speaking) each having responsibility for their own broadcast media; multiple TV channels exist for each community; additionally, in excess of 90% of households are connected to cable and can access broadcasts of TV stations from neighboring countries; each community has a public radio network coexisting with private broadcasters

Internet country code

.be

Internet users

total: 10,620,701 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 92% (2020 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 4,734,210 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2020 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Belgium on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Belgium 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Belgium 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.