If we do not take into account the arrival of Digi with its mobile offer at 5 euros per month for 15 GB, its similar alignment by Hey! (a subsidiary of Orange Belgium) and the new offer from Mobile Viking (Proximus) which is relatively interesting (especially for large data consumers), Belgium was therefore at the top of the ranking, behind Germany. France remains significantly less expensive than all other countries and for all consumption profiles.
On the landline, another story
On the fixed market, however, the dynamic has not improved over the whole of 2024, points out the BIPT. Like last year, Belgium is generally in the most expensive half of neighboring countries, with the exception of low-needs profiles. For the most comprehensive popular bundles, Belgium is by far the most expensive country.
The overhaul of VOO’s offering, with lower prices for new subscribers, had a favorable impact on Belgium’s results, notes the regulator. If these revised prices had not been taken into account, Belgian prices on the bundled offer market would also be considerably higher.
For fixed internet and bundled offers as well, France is across the board and by far the cheapest country, while the fixed network is one of the best in this country, comments the BIPT.
The difference in dynamics between the mobile market and the fixed-line bundle market may be partly explained by the fact that consumers are more likely to switch operators with “standalone” mobile products than with bundles, interprets the supervisory body, and that changing operator for fixed internet solutions and TV offerings is sometimes more complex (availability, installation, etc.). The arrival of Digi, which materialized in mid-December, nevertheless played a role.
“The launch of DIGI considerably changes Belgium’s position. If Digi were to comply with the methodology of the most recent study, the “minimum price” in Belgium for all standalone Internet profiles (excluding the pack, as a single product, Editor’s note) would be remarkably cheaper than in any neighboring country. Prices are half as high as those of the cheapest country, France“, specifies the BIPT. But the regulator qualifies: for the moment, “DIGI’s fixed offer is only available in Anderlecht and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean“, therefore difficult to take these prices into account in the overall picture of the price of telecoms in Belgium.
