This concluded a two-year investigation (see, Van Bael & Bellis Belgian Antitrust Watch of 30 July 2024) that included a market test in the autumn of 2025 (see, Van Bael & Bellis Belgian Antitrust Watch of 16 October 2025) and was conducted in tandem with the sector regulator, the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT).

Under the terms of the cooperation, the parties will build complementary Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks and provide reciprocal wholesale access for their partners in medium-density population areas (covering more than 2 million homes). In sparsely populated areas (covering 0.7 million homes), Proximus will offer service via the Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) network of Wyre. In large cities and densely populated zones, network competition will operate to the fullest extent, with both groups rolling out their own separate infrastructure.

In the course of the investigation, the regulators focused on the reduction of infrastructure competition between network operators and the possible negative effects on competition for third parties. These concerns gave rise to an extensive set of binding commitments, reportedly running to hundreds of pages, which have not yet been made publicly available

In its press release, the BCA highlighted its efforts to strengthen the position of third parties by requiring: (i) access to the passive fibre networks of Fiberklaar and Wyre in suburban areas on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms; (ii) access to Wyre’s HFC network on FRAND terms; (iii) access to Wyre’s fibre network in urban areas; (iv) access to the fibre and digital subscriber line (DSL) networks of Proximus; (v) access to the ducts of Proximus in urban areas on FRAND terms; and (vi) access to the fibre drop cables of Fiberklaar and Wyre. The BCA also announced that it had secured an expansion of fibre coverage to more than 2 million homes in medium-density population areas, with 75% of the additional coverage to be achieved by June 2029.

Separately, the BCA and the BIPT are continuing their review of a comparable joint venture between Orange and Proximus for the roll-out of fibre networks in Wallonia (see, Van Bael & Bellis Belgian Antitrust Watch of 1 August 2025).