Orange Belgium and Telenet have signed two commercial fixed wholesale agreements, which entry into force is subject to the completion of the transaction related to the acquisition of 75% minus one share of VOO by Orange Belgium. The agreements will provide access to each other’s fixed networks for a 15-year period and cover both current Hybrid Fiber Coaxial and future Fiber to the Home technologies in both network areas. Orange Belgium believes these agreements will foster investment, benefit the customer and competition in the Belgian telecom market.
With these agreements, Orange Belgium firstly secures an access to Telenet’s Hybrid Fiber Coaxial network and to its future Fiber to the Home network for 15 years, a key enabler to strengthen its nationwide convergent strategy. Combined with its state-of-the-art mobile network and with the modernization of the VOO network in the regions of Wallonia and Brussels-Capital, Orange Belgium will democratize the multi-gigabit fixed and mobile speed experience all over the country.
Secondly, Orange Belgium will provide Telenet wholesale access to VOO and Brutélé’s Hybrid Fiber Coaxial network and to its future Fiber to the Home network in the regions of Wallonia and Brussels-Capital. It will also secure Telenet as a wholesale customer, increasing network penetration and return on modernization investments.
The entry into force of these agreements is subject to completion of the transaction for the acquisition of 75% minus one share of VOO by Orange Belgium which requires notably the approval of the European Commission.
Xavier Pichon, CEO of Orange Belgium, commented: "It is a major step forward in the deployment of our leading nationwide multi-gigabit strategy. With the acquisition of VOO, we have an ambitious investment plan to upgrade the network and to provide multi-gigabit connectivity to our customers. The agreement on the Telenet network, will complement our ability to provide a Hybrid Fiber Coaxial and Fiber to the Home multi-gigabit connectivity value proposition to our customers wherever they live. We also welcome Telenet as a wholesale customer on our future VOO network. These agreements will foster competition and network investments nationwide”.