Frequently asked questions about Fiber to the Home

Fiber is the technology of the future, transmitting data over long distances at the speed of light. But to take full advantage of its potential, the fiber cable has to be laid right to the heart of your home. That's why it's called Fiber to the Home (FTTH).

Proximus is the first Belgian operator to install end-to-end fiber to the home for its customers.

Most other operators, such as VOO, Orange or Telenet, claim to offer fiber, but use a coaxial cable for the last leg from the street to the home. However, these two types of connection are absolutely not equivalent. Only Fiber to the Home guarantees the best performance in terms of download and upload speeds, stability and latency. And on top of that, your home is ready for the future!

While Proximus is gradually rolling out fiber to existing homes in Belgium, new housing estates and apartment blocks are usually immediately connected to our fiber network, in consultation with the construction industry.

Proximus’ fiber has been designated “The fastest Internet in Belgium” by Ookla®.

Ookla® is the global leader in network performance measurement and monitoring with its famous Speedtest®, available on Speedtest.netOpens a new window .

Based on national results, Ookla® awards prizes to validate the performance of the various operators.

With fiber, you'll have access to super-fast and stable Internet, ultra-low latency, a sharper than ever image on all your screens and, most importantly, you'll be equipped for the future:

• Super-fast, stable Internet: no downtime or slowdowns when importing or exporting documents, watching videos and playing online, no matter how many people or devices are connected at the same time.
• Ultra-low latency: latency is the delay between a data transfer request and the response to that request. Indeed, when you play online, every millisecond counts. With fiber, you stay one step ahead of your opponents.
• A sharper picture than ever before on all your screens: Whether on TV, tablet or smartphone, with fiber, you won’t miss even the tiniest detail.
• Future-proofed: tomorrow, your home will be increasingly connected thanks to the Internet. With fiber in your home, this evolution is child's play.

Are you already a Proximus customer? At some stage, your current copper cable will need to be replaced. Fiber, which will succeed it, meets the ever-increasing need for connectivity. It guarantees you better performance today and in the future.

Mbps is the unit that measures the amount of data transferred in one second. This measuring unit for data transmission is used worldwide to quantify Internet speeds. Mbps stands for megabit per second. Gbps (or GIGA) stands for gigabit per second. One gigabit (or 1 GIGA) corresponds to 1,000 megabits, which is very fast!

The speeds advertised by Proximus correspond to download and upload speeds. When a fiber product claims Internet speeds of up to 1 GIGA, this means that the connection is capable of downloading up to 1 gigabit of data per second. With a 1 gigabit per second connection, you can download a 1.5 gigabit movie in just 12 seconds. At traditional speed (70 Mbps), this download takes you almost three minutes.

Faster and more stable than traditional copper cabling, fiber is also more environmentally friendly.

It can be entirely produced in Europe and consists of glass made from silicon dioxide, the most abundant element on earth after oxygen. This resource is found in sand, clay, rocks and even water. Mining it is therefore not harmful for the environment.

Moreover, fiber uses 4x less electricity than copper, and its production leaves a very small environmental footprint: 0.06 kg of CO2 for glass fiber compared to 1000 kg for 2 kg of copper wire (used for your current connection).

Switching to this future-proof technology makes sense for the environment and the climate!

Watch a video on why fiber is environmentally friendly.

The answer is no.

Currently, the standard for "ultra-fast" or "Gigabit" Internet service is up to 1 Gigabit per second (or Gbps) download, and up to 50 Megabits per second (or Mbps) upload.

Most operators, such as VOO, Orange or Telenet, claim to offer fiber, but use a coaxial cable for the last section, from the street to the home. This is not a Fiber to the home connection.

Proximus, for its part, installs fiber right into its customers' homes. The fact that the fiber cable is connected directly to your home means that you have your own cable, not shared with your neighbours. So you're totally independent of any external interference factors. And that makes all the difference, because you get an ultra-stable connection and the fastest Internet in the country, with download speeds of up to 8.5 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 1 Gbps. And that's just the beginning! By opting for this cutting-edge technology, you're ready for the future.

But what does this mean in practice? Imagine you want to download the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (30 GB): while a 1 Gbps connection allows you to download it in 4 minutes, an 8.5 Gbps connection allows you to do so in just 24 seconds. Can you tell the difference?

Find out more about Fiber to the home.

With Proximus fiber, you surf the fastest Internet in Belgium and choose the Internet experience that suits your needs:

• Mega Fiber, ideal for homeworkers and streamers with download speeds of up to 500 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 500 Mbps: high-speed Internet to meet the needs of multiple users with equal download and upload speeds.
• Giga Fiber, ideal for families with download speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 500 Mbps: giga-fast Internet to meet the needs of multiple simultaneous users, up to 2 Wi-Fi Boosters for a better connection in every room of your home and a landline with unlimited calls in Belgium 24/7 (except with Flex Fiber Internet + Mobile).
• Ultra Fiber, ideal for large families and gamers with download speeds of up to 8.5 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 1 Gbps: the fastest Internet available in Belgium both in download and in upload to meet the needs of the most demanding Internet users, up to 2 Wi-Fi Boosters for a better connection in all rooms of your home and a landline with unlimited calls in Belgium 24/7 (except with Flex Fiber Internet + Mobile).

Please note that in certain specific cases, your building's wiring may only allow you to benefit from maximum speeds of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps. For further information, please contact your building manager or landlord.

If you're wondering who needs these speeds, you might be surprised! Today, 1 Gbps has become the norm but we are asking more and more from our Internet connection. The needs are constantly increasing and with the technological evolutions (4K, 8K, virtual reality, …) and the numerous connected objects that are developing at a lightning speed, fiber technology is the solution. It allows you to meet the current needs but also to prepare for the next 70 years. It not only allows you to be more efficient but also to save time.

No, the fact that fiber has been installed in your street does not mean that you automatically benefit from it. To take advantage of all its benefits, your home must be connected to the fiber network which means that an appointment must be made with a technician to install fiber in your home.

If you are already a Proximus fiber customer and you want to benefit from 10 Gbps technology, your current hardware must be replaced. An installation appointment will need to be scheduled with a technician to set up your Internet Box+ and your new ONT box, which is used to connect your box to the fiber network. Any Wi-Fi Boosters you might have will also have to be replaced by Wi-Fi Boosters+.

Learn more about the installation.

You can check with your operator whether you have a Fiber to the Home connection.

Your download and upload speeds, however, already say a lot about the type of connection you have. With Fiber to the Home, you can reach speeds of up to 8.5 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, while with a coaxial connection, these are limited to 1 Gbps download and 50 Mbps upload.

If you are already a Proximus customer with a fiber connection, the name of your subscription should be Flex Fiber. If you have a traditional non-fiber connection, your subscription name will be Flex.

Fiber to the Home is currently being rolled out in Belgium. So it's not yet available everywhere. Proximus is the first Belgian operator to roll out FTTH, in partnership with Fiberklaar in Flanders, Unifiber in Wallonia and GoFiber in the German-speaking part of the country.

Thousands of homes are already connected and/or can be connected. You can easily check whether it's available for you by using our address test. If it is, you'll be invited to choose your Flex Fiber pack and ask for it to be installed in your home. If it isn't, sign up to be notified when it's available.

Discover our interactive map to find out where fiber is available and where it's coming soon.

Fiber is available in several major Belgian cities and is being rolled out in others. It is also being deployed on industrial estates and in industrial buildings, as well as most new housing estates and apartment buildings.

Thanks to our partnerships with Fiberklaar in Flanders and Unifiber in Wallonia, the roll-out of fiber will pick up speed in the coming months and years, in order to offer you the best network available. The aim is to provide an ultra-fast and stable network that can easily absorb the data traffic that will continue to grow in the years to come.

Check if this applies to your city

Fiber is available in a number of major Belgian cities and is being rolled out or planned in others. By working hand in hand with the construction sector, most of the new housing estates and apartment buildings are already being connected to our fiber network.

So the first step is to check whether fiber is available at your address.

• If this is not yet the case, fill in the Proximus form to be the first to be informed of its arrival.
• In that case, you’ll be invited to discover our Flex Fiber packages. Pick one of our existing packages or modify your Flex Fiber package according to your needs.

Do you already have a Proximus package and want to benefit from fiber technology?
Pick your Flex Fiber package and we’ll ensure that your products are automatically converted.

Do you live in a city where fiber is installed by our partner Fiberklaar?
If you are already a Proximus Internet customer, you will be able to pick your Fiber package once the fiber is pre-installed at your address. For the time being, just ask for your free installation and we will get back to you on your choice of package. If you are not yet a Proximus Internet customer, ask for your free installation and pick your new Fiber package.

Fiber is rolled out laid in several phases. It is therefore possible that your address is not (yet) located in an area where fiber is currently being laid. It is also possible that your home is located in an area served by fiber, but that for technical or administrative reasons (refusal of the property manager, permit, etc.), we are not able to bring it to your home. For more information, do not hesitate to fill in the Proximus form you will be invited to complete.

You will continue to enjoy your current services, on our traditional copper network, without change. However, you are advised to make the switch now, as fiber will ultimately replace the copper network. It meets the need for ever-increasing connectivity and guarantees you better performance today and tomorrow.

By switching to this technology of the future today, you will be eligible for free installation.

This depends on the products you currently have. Depending on the formula you choose, it is possible that, in some cases, your Flex Fiber package will cost you a little more than your current package. However, you will still enjoy all the benefits of fiber, such as Internet that is ultra-fast and stable no matter how many people or devices are connected at the same time, a sharper picture on all your screens and, most importantly, you will be equipped for the future.

As a tenant, all you have to do is submit your request to Proximus. The landlord cannot oppose the choice of operator, nor the installation of fiber at the request of the tenant. We nevertheless advise you to inform the landlord.

In a building in co-ownership, all owners will normally have already been notified of the arrival of fiber in the building through the general assembly or by the syndic/building manager.

All about installation

It all depends on how your alarm system is connected:

• Via WiFi or ethernet to your bbox? You don't have to do anything.
• Via the analogue line? This type of connection will be phased out with the switch to fiber. You will have to order a separate analogue line or contact your installer to update your alarm system.
• Via your telephone line? Ask your alarm installer to do a test after installation. Don't forget to have a battery backup installed so that your modem also works in the event of a power failure.
• Via a remote monitoring center? Ask your alarm installer to check that the installation is working properly.

The fiber cables are laid district by district and street by street. In order to bring the fiber right into your home, preparatory work is required, such as excavation or façade work. We will do our utmost to minimize any inconvenience and will always keep you informed of the timeframe.

Once the work in your street has been completed, the fiber cable will be brought to your home discreetly. From that moment on, you will be invited to switch to this new technology and enjoy all the benefits of fiber. Once you have placed your order, one of our technicians will come to your home on the agreed day to install your fiber connection box.

If you live in a building managed by a property manager, the latter must first give us access to the building to install the fiber in the common areas. Only then will you be able to request your connection to our fiber network.

All about installation

In the case of a new construction carried out by a property developer and if fiber is available at this address at the time of the work, the developer will take care of submitting the request for connection to our fiber network. When you move in, all you have to do is order your fiber products and make an appointment with one of our technicians for the installation.

How do I do this? Check if fiber is available for your address.Then, simply follow the different steps that will be proposed to you.

f you are having a new house built with an architect, check if fiber is available for your new house. If it is, don't forget to request connection to our fiber network before ordering and installing your fiber product.

Have you already done so? Then order your fiber products directly online and make an appointment with one of our technicians to have the fiber connection box installed.

As a tenant, all you have to do is submit your request to Proximus. The landlord cannot oppose the choice of operator, nor the installation of fiber at the request of the tenant. We nevertheless advise you to inform the landlord.

In a building in co-ownership, all owners will normally have already been notified of the arrival of fiber in the building through the general assembly or by the syndic/building manager.

All about installation.

Yes, your fiber connection is completely free of charge for every activation of a Flex Fiber pack, whether you are a Proximus customer or not. In the cities where Fiberklaar is laying down the fiber network, please also refer to their conditions (www.fiberklaar.be/aanpakNew window). If you opt for another solution, such as Internet Fiber alone, for example, installation fees of €59 will be charged for any new installation:

The installation takes between two and four hours, but don't worry, the connection is only cut off for a few minutes. So you can continue your activities without any problems.

For new housing estates and apartment buildings, which are usually already connected to our fiber network, the technician only activates your services on the fiber network, which takes much less time.

Watch a video of how fiber is installed in your home.

We always confirm appointments by e-mail. To view or change your appointment afterwards, click on the personal link in the e-mail. Appointments can only be canceled by telephone on 0800 55 800.