Proximus

Proximus is the brand name of the Belgian telecommunications group Proximus Group. It is the principal provider of fixed-line and mobile telecommunications, broadband internet, and digital television in Belgium, and operates the wholesale arm BICS. The Proximus brand is used for consumer and business services, with the group also maintaining corporate and wholesale operations that support network infrastructure and international connectivity.

The name proximus comes from the Latin proximus, meaning nearest or closest, a choice intended to convey proximity and connectivity between people, devices, and services.

History and structure: The modern operator traces its roots to Belgium’s nationalized post and telecommunications sectors. It was formed as Belgacom in the late 20th century and rebranded to Proximus in 2014. In addition to Proximus, the group has offered a value-brand strategy through Scarlet and maintains a wholesale subsidiary, BICS, which provides international roaming and data services. Proximus Group is listed on Euronext Brussels and has a significant stake held by the Belgian state through SFPI-FP (the Federal Holding and Investment Company).

Services and network: Proximus provides fixed-line telephony, mobile communications (including 4G and 5G networks), high-speed internet, and digital television. The company has pursued expansion of fiber-to-the-home infrastructure to increase network capacity, coverage, and digital inclusion. Through BICS, it supplies wholesale services such as roaming, voice, and data transit to other telecom operators worldwide.