Belgium has so much to offer for visitors, immigrants and just anybody who cares to visit the country. In the eyes of some, especially Africans, Belgium has had a chequered history especially the atrocities committed by Leopold II over the DRC. Be that history as it may, so many Congolese, Africans, Americans, Europeans and people from virtually every part of the world come trooping to Belgium. With this reality, it can never be an overstatement that a reliable internet subscription in Belgium is key.
So many get interested in creating great memories in Belgium and the surest way to do this is catching up with friends, visiting new places and just chilling. Be that as it may, it would be a great mistake to forget the need for a stable, reliable and affordable internet connection in Belgium. Getting a reliable internet connection is one thing that spices up staying in Belgium but always forgotten by many but turns out to be a necessity.
It is everyone’s knowledge that Belgium is by any standards a developed country that is in the same league with most of the leading economies globally. It is expected that Belgium, a country that ranks at number 25 in economic status can have problems with accessibility to the internet.
Maybe, the issue of concern would just be to identify which of the operators in the vast and well-established telecommunications industry there offers the best services. Best in this sense may not mean that some offer substandard services but just that maybe they may not match your individual needs.
Internet access situation in Belgium
Belgium has quite invested greatly on internet. In actual sense, Belgium is ranked among the top countries in the world who have best internet services. Just to create a vivid impression about the internet accessibility in Belgium, up to 91% of its approximately 5 million private households have access.
Let’s bring the reality closer home just so that we all have a feel of individual internet access in Belgium. This is it, approximately 10.15 million people in Belgium use the internet. Statistically speaking, this population represents up to more than 87% internet usage rate. Surely, this should be impressive enough to excite anybody planning to visit or live in Belgium.
Ways to access the internet in Belgium
Before being informed about the various ways through which people can get internet access in Belgium, it’s important to get a few things right. We all agree that in the current information age, having internet access isn’t something to really debate about. When in Belgium, the need for internet connection is even more important because digitization is the order of the day.
In Belgium you will need the internet to log into you NetBank, log into social media platforms, access university portal, communicate with the workplace just to mention but a few. So, getting an internet connection in Belgium is not to be a subject of any negotiation unless one wants to make own life unbearable.
Fast and really quick; the ways to get internet in Belgium depends on an individual’s situation and needs. For instance, someone coming only for a short stay doesn’t have to make a monthly subscription but may turn to Pay as you go services or prepaid for a limited period.
On the other hand, if you are already sure of staying in Belgium for a longer period, subscription-based plan works best. At least you will be able to figure out what your long-term needs are, organize your finances and choose a suitable internet service provider.
In the case of subscription-based internet access, one has to find a package that matches own needs, sign a contract with the chosen service provider and make regular payments. The contact can either be that one pays monthly, or quarterly. Whichever the arrangement of payment, making a subscription gives people much flexibility when it comes to internet consumption. You can even reduce your package when not in need or completely scrap off certain services from the package.
Requirements for signing internet subscription contract in Belgium
As is expected, an internet subscription contract is a contractual agreement between you as a customer and the specific internet service providers in Belgium. Whether you have chosen to go for Proximus, Scarlet, Orange, Telenet, TADAAM or any other, you will have to make an agreement.
Typically, an internet service agreement in Belgium will show what subscription you have, your personal details and how much to be paid for it when. This is just to make your relationship better. In case something isn’t in order, you can always go back to the agreement for reference and recourse.
This is what you need to sign an internet subscription contract
- Your identification document which may be either an ID or passport
- A document to prove your residential address in Belgium (This can be in the form of utility bills, rental contract or bank statement)
- A bank account or International Bank Account Number (IBAN)
Some companies may need extra details when signing the contract but the ones listed above cut across. Just be flexible and make agreements with your chosen service provider. After all, signing a contract is just the small bit of it. You still have a long way to engage as you use the internet and provide feedback.
With a signed contract, the devices for setting up a broadband connection will be issued out to you at the shop or shipped to your address. You can decide to follow the installation manual and set up everything by yourself or ask a service representative to help you. In most cases, asking a technician to come home with you will cost some extra money. Because the process is pretty straightforward, one should better do it alone.
Cost of internet in Belgium
Despite being well developed, Surfing the internet is more expensive in Belgium than in many other neighbouring countries. The analysis shows that subscriptions are up to 30% more expensive in Belgium as opposed to other countries providers.
For you to make a reasonable internet subscription in Belgium, an Internet-only subscription costs between €30 to €40 for a download speed of up to 100 Mbps. This is done by either buying or renting house in Belgium which will call upon having an internet connection as you move to Belgium.
It is quite easier for those who are renting in Belgium, because in that case the home will already have internet services and by so, the cost will be incur in monthly payments.
One can also get a Belgian SIM card for 10 EUR (11.10 USD) from Proximus, BASE & Carrefour Mobile. Orange sells its SIM cards for 15 EUR (17 USD). Lycamobile and Vectone Mobile SIM cards can be obtained for free, but on-the-spot top-ups or plan purchases are often required.
A reality check on internet situation in Belgium
- The average price for 1 GB of data in Belgium is 5.28 USD
- Proximus customers use an average of 4.4 gigabytes of blended mobile data per month
- And the average data usage per person per months is 4.5GB
Internet Service Providers in Belgium
Most internet providers in Belgium provide a stable connection and good customer service. The internet providers that do all possible to ensure people get the internet connection to fit their needs are: –
- The telenet/BASE
- Orange Belgium
- Proximus
- Scarlet
- lycamobile and
- vectone
Forms of Internet Offered in Belgium
Internet connection in Belgium comes in the following forms;
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
- Fibre optic cable
- Wireless internet
In most cases, the commonly used internet connection in Belgium is WIFI. WIFI is also sufficient for most ‘normal’ internet users.
Speed of Internet in Belgium
In Belgium, providers typically offer download speeds of 30Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s, and upload speeds of 10Mbit/s to 75Mbit/s. The high speed meets the needs of daily users of the internet and makes Belgium rank among the top ten countries with the fastest internet speed. Mobile internet providers have had some upgrade with the LTE technology to support developing mobile data use among the subscribers.
Proximus and the Telenet have gone ahead and initiated trials to develop the services, based on the 5G which is now considered the fastest speed globally.
Averaging to all internet providers, telenet is being considered as one of the fastest of the other internet providers.
Costs Breakdown of internet subscription in Belgium
It is very possible to break down Internet type in Belgium because customers with DSL pay less amount for these services. This is because they do not receive similar speed as fast as they did with cables or fibre optics and satellite tend to be more popular in rural areas where cable and fibre aren’t available.
Can You Get Internet in Belgium Without a Provider?
This entirely depends on wherever you are because in Belgium, you should be able to access providers from wherever place you are. This is possible as you are able to jump on a nearby public WI-FI network. For example, libraries, coffee, shops, restaurants and transport hubs have networks anyone else can access.
