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  • FAQ

    The discounts are laid down in Article 38 of the Annex the Act of 13 June 2005 on electronic communications.

    Several hypotheses are summarised in the table below:

    Categories of beneficiaries Single discount for the installation Monthly discounts
      Fixed telephone connection Subscription fee Communications (fixed, bundle of the subscription fee operator) Total amount of discounts (max. per month)
    + 65 years, disabled, hearing-impaired persons, laryngectomee, military war blinded 50% of the standard price Fixed, Internet or bundle 40% (max. € 8.4) € 3.1* € 11.5
    Ssocial integration income receivers  / Internet : 40 %
    (max. € 8.4)    		 € 3.1

    € 11.5 (if Internet)

    or € 3.1

    * NB: if you pay the subscription fee and the communications to two different operators, only the operator providing the communications grants a maximum discount of € 11.5 on the calls.

    If you think you meet the conditions to get the social tariff, you can submit your request to the operator of your choice (without attachments), via one of the contacts points.

    If it cannot be automatically established that you effectively meet the conditions, you will receive, after your request to the operator of your choice, a letter from BIPT asking you to send certain documents necessary for the administrative handling to the operator.

  • FAQ

    Certain operators have offers that include applications of which the consumption is not deducted from the data volume.

    That practice, often called “zero-rating”, is not explicitly regulated by the net neutrality rules.

    One part of the net neutrality rules generally specifies that Internet traffic should be treated in the same way. 

    It was clear that this meant that it is forbidden to allow zero-rating applications to continue at the normal speed, whereas other traffic was blocked or throttled (e.g. because the data volume in the bundle was used up). 

    But whether that rule also applied to a different way of billing, without blocking or throttling in an unequal way, was not clear. 

    The European Court of Justice has ruled that this is the case. 

    Zero-rating offers for certain applications are therefore unlawful and have to be adapted. 

    If the adaptation is to your disadvantage, you have the right to cancel your contract free of charge.

  • FAQ

    A wireless local area network allows you to interconnect your devices and radio waves enable the rapid exchange of data.

    The term “Wi-Fi” was coined to get a simpler term to refer to the standards of the group IEEE 802.11, which are the ones used for wireless networks. Since 1999, several versions have followed one another, improving the quality of data transmitted per second, the signal range or the connection quality. The latest publicly accessible version is called Wi-Fi 6 (the official name of the standard is “IEEE 802.11ax”).

    Several devices are already compatible with Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E; these are very recent. Concerning your modem/router, there will be some time before this technology is included. At present, the Wi-Fi signal transmitted by your modem/router uses two frequency bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz):

    • 2.4 GHz: This frequency band, shared by numerous types of use, enables the transmission of signals over long distances and is not affected by barriers created by walls or floors;
    • 5 GHz: This frequency band is more stable and faster. Regarding data transmission, it has more and broader channels: there are 13 channels of 20 MHz or 40 MHz on 2.4 GHz. On 5 GHz, there are 13 channels of 20, 40 and 80 MHz. Most receivers are compatible with this band, which is a bit more sensitive to the presence of obstacles than the 2.4 GHz band.

    Wi-Fi 6 also uses these frequency bands. In the next development, Wi-Fi 6E (E meaning “extended”) will add the 6 GHz band.

    Compared with the previous versions, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E offer:

    • A higher speed (channels up to 120 MHz);
    • A shorter response time;
    • A better connection management in case of high user density (when a large number of users are simultaneously connected to the same network, at the same location).

    With the addition of the 6 GHz band and its 480 MHz of additional bandwidth, Wi-Fi 6E will offer more frequencies and a higher speed (up to 11 Gbps in theory).

    Last but not least, it better manages the active and sleep status of connected devices. Less strain will be put on the batteries of smartphones, tablets and laptops and they will thus last longer.

    The transition to Wi-Fi 6E will not be mandatory. Current devices, even if they do not have access to the new band, can still be used without any problems.

  • FAQ

    Radio amateur clubs registered with BIPT (in order of payment) can apply for a special call sign to mark an event under the following terms and restrictions:

    • The event is associated with the club’s life (special anniversary…);
    • The club participates in an event (e.g. open house in a school or a radio amateur club has a stand);
    • The event has to do with radio (e.g. Marconi’s birthday);
    • A club is not allowed to ask more than two special call signs per calendar year;
    • The special call sign cannot be used during contests;
    • For the anniversary of the club or association, the call sign can be granted for a maximum period of one year;
    • The call signs can have all the prefixes (ON, OP, OQ, OR, OS, OT);
    • They are made of a prefix, a figure, and a series of characters ending with a letter;
    • Call signs using the ON prefix (or the special prefix assigned to all the radio amateurs - see below) can not have a single digit if they have a suffix of 1, 2 or 3 letters;
    • The special call signs cannot be used in the club members’ homes.

    Recognised associations (UBA, VRA, UFRC) can ask a special prefix on the occasion of a particular event and for all the radio amateurs. In that case any radio amateur who wishes to do so can replace the ON in his/her call sign by the special prefix. This authorisation does not apply to short call signs.

    The tariffs for these special call signs are mentioned in the Annex 1 of the Royal Decree of 18 December 2009 on private radio communications and user rights for fixed networks and trunk networks. 

  • FAQ

    Depending on the situation of the applicant, one or several of the following documents are necessary:

    • a copy of the most recent assesstment notice (Avertissement-extrait de rôle Impôt des personnes physiques et taxes additionnelles/Aanslagbiljet personenbelasting en aanvullende belastingen) sent on a yearly basis by the FPS Finance, for all persons over 18, domiciled at the applicant’s address;
    • a certificate of the payment of family allowances, obtained from the family allowances fund;
    • a certificate indicating that the applicant has a handicap of at least 66%; this certificate is available at the mutual insurance fund (mutualité/ziekenfonds) or at the FPS Social Security - DG Disabled persons;
    • a certificate of the household composition obtained at the municipal administration (service Population/dienst Bevolking) of the applicant;
    • a copy of the ruling (of the justice of peace or of the youth court) indicating that the grandchildren have been entrusted to the applicant by a legal decision;
    • a copy of a CPAS/OCMW certificate proving that the applicant receives the social integration income in accordance with the Act of May 26, 2002;
    • a certificate and an audiogram of from the otorhinolaryngologist ear, nose and throat specialist proving a minimal hearing loss of 70 dB for the best ear;
    • a certificate of from the ear, nose and throat specialist otorhinolaryngologist proving that the applicant has undergone a laryngectomy;
    • a certificate of from the DG Victims of war of the FPS Social Security proving that the applicant is a military war blinded.

  • FAQ

    All you need to know about 5G

    5G is introduced in Belgium in keeping with the European guidelines. With the 5G Action Plan for Europe the European Commission suggested a coordinated roll-out of 5G as early as 2016. The European Union designated three preferential frequency bands for the 5G technology: 700 MHz, 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz. The European Electronic Communications Code, approved by the European Parliament and the Council (in which also Belgium is represented by the competent minister) and which had to be transposed into Belgian law by 21 December 2020, imposed a specific schedule on the Member States for the introduction of 5G in these frequency bands.
    This schedule is binding. By the end of June 2020 the deadline for making the 700 MHz band available expired, the period of validity of the user rights for the other pioneer bands had to end by 31 December 2020 at the latest.

    The introduction in Belgium was the result of a long democratic process. This was initiated by the BIPT with the publication of its communication of 10 September 2018 regarding the introduction of 5G in Belgium. Next, the BIPT published different public consultations on the legislative texts. In July 2018 the then federal Council of Ministers adopted the draft texts organising the 3400-3800 MHz band auction for the first time. Prior to proceeding to an auction, the Consultation Committee, the body for the alignment of the different Belgian governments’ policies, has to come to an agreement regarding this.

    At the same time as the deliberations in the Consultation Committee, the federal Parliament was informed as well. On 11 December 2019 a hearing regarding the 5G roll-out took place and a topical debate on 5 February.

    In the absence of a political agreement and with the European deadline for the introduction of 5G in sight, the BIPT initiated a procedure for the granting of temporary user rights in a part of the 3600 MHz band for the provision of 5G. Early 2020, the BIPT launched a call for candidates. The draft decision for the granting of the temporary licences to the candidate operators (Cegeka, Entropia Investments BVBA, Orange Belgium, Proximus and Telenet Group), including the terms and conditions for use, such as the technical requirements, the fees due, the validity of the licence ... was published for public consultation on 23 March 2020. 

    On 22 January 2021, the federal Council of Ministers reviewed the 5G case and ratified a bill and a number of Royal Decrees enabling the auction of 5G rights in our country following the approval of, among others, the Consultation Committee. 

    On 26 May 2021 the Consultation Committee already approved the bill, which was adopted in the Chamber’s plenary assembly on 17 June and was published in the Belgian Official Gazette on 6 July 2021.

    Following this, a public consultation was held from 16 July until 31 August 2021 on the Royal Decrees further implementing the multiband auction during which 5G user rights shall be put up for auction as well.

    On November 24, 2021, the consultation committee gave its final approval regarding the royal decrees for the auction of 5G spectrum. After the publication of the royal decrees on 23 December 2021, BIPT has started with the preparations for the auction, and the auction itself.

    On 20 July 2022 the BIPT concluded the final phase of the radio spectrum auction.

  • FAQ

    The public will not be able to use 5G after the auction's end.

    he roll-out of 5G networks requires private companies to invest in network infrastructure. Consequently, the introduction of 5G in Belgium is not only defined by the availability of spectrum but by the willingness of providers to invest in 5G as well.

  • FAQ

    Belgium missed two European deadlines for the 5G roll-out in 2020: 30 June 2020, the date set for allowing the use of 5G in the 700 MHz band and 30 December 2020, the deadline for 3400-3800 MHz and at least 1 GHz in the 26 GHz band (provided there is sufficient demand from the market, which is not the case in Belgium today).

    Most European countries did make the 5G pioneer bands available:

      700 MHz 3400 – 3800 MHz
    Cyprus December 2020 December 2020
    Denmark March 2019 December 2020
    Germany Juin 2015 June 2019
    Estonia   December 2020
    Finland November 2016  October 2018
    France Novembre 2015 October 2020
    Greece December 2020 December 2020
    Hungary April 2020 April 2020
    Irland   May 2017
    Italy October 2018 October 2018
    Latvia   September 2018
    Luxembourg August 2020  August 2020
    The Netherlands July 2020  
    Norway June 2019  
    Austria September 2020  March  2019
    Slovakia December 2020 July 2017
    Espagne   July 2018
    Czech Republic January 2021 January 2021
    The United Kingdom July 2020  April 2018
    Sweden December 2018 December 2019
    Switzerland June 2019 January 2019

  • FAQ

    The recognised training centres are the following:

  • FAQ

    The recognised training centres are the following:

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