Cell Phone & Telephone Usage in Belgium

On this page you find more useful information about the usage of cell-phones and telephones in Belgium. In this way we try to make your stay in Belgium even more comfortable.
Food, Water and Cell Phones

Cell Phones

A little homework will help ease your way to using your cell phone in Belgium; some may need a chip or card from the countries you are traveling in, but do double check if roaming charges apply so you won’t be in for a terrible surprise once you return home.
Belgium has extensive mobile phone range, and carrying a phone may be the best packing decision you make. Alternatively, due to issues with compatibility and pricing, it may seem as though you’ve brought along one more expensive appliance. As with many things in life, it pays to do a little research up front.

There are good reasons to carry a cell phone: you can stay in touch more easily with other travelers during the day and with friends and family back home; some accommodations do not have telephones (hostels, apartment rentals); or it may just be more cost-efficient to have a cell phone.

Chances are, the current mobile phone you use may not work in Belgium. To have complete access to your cell phone while traveling abroad, purchase either an unlocked dual band Global System for Mobile (GSM) cell phone with a SIM card for Europe or a tri-band phone that will work outside your country.

Among the options you have are to buy a new or used GSM phone in the your country or Europe with the SIM card of the country or countries you are traveling to or rent a phone either prior to your departure or in Europe, where they are readily available. If you would rather use your own GSM phone, check to see if international roaming charges will apply; if so, you may just want to use your cell phone for emergencies. Car rental companies may also be able to add a GSM phone to your car rental.

The logical choice might be a SIM card for Europe that will allow you to pay the local rate wherever you may be traveling. Some service providers “lock” your subscription card to keep you from switching networks, so be sure to check and see if your service provider is one that allows flexibility.

You can purchase one SIM card for your own country, individual cards for the countries you will travel in or an international SIM card. Most European SIM cards are prepaid and can be replenished with a “recharge card.”

Area Codes & How to make a call.

Calling to Belgium
Dial 00 + Country Code 32 + City Code:

Antwerp 3
Bruges 50
Ghent 9
Namur 81
Arlon63
Brussels 2
Leuven 16
Mechelen 15
Bastogne 61
Dinant 82
Liege 4
Oostende 59
Bouillon 61
Durbuy 86
Mons 65
Tournai 69

When calling a Belgian number within Belgium always dial (0) + city code + number
For international information call 1304.

Pre-paid Calling cards:The Belgacom Phone Pass™ can be used with private phones, pay phones and cellular phones. Belgacom Phone Pass™ as well as other calling cards are available in post offices, train stations, book stores, newspaper stands, supermarkets, convenience stores and Belgacom Teleboutiques.

Public phones take both coins and phone cards. Public phone that display stickers showing flags of different countries can be used to make international calls with operator assistance.

Belgium - Internet usage, broadband and telecommunications reports

Internet Usage Statistics:
5,490,000 Internet users as of December, 2007;
52.8% of the population, according to ITU.

Belgium - officially The Kingdom of Belgium - is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO. Belgium’s two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north, with 59% of the population, and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia, inhabited by 31%. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region and near the Walloon Region, and has 10% of the population. A small German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium’s linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.

Internet Usage Statistics:
5,100,000 Internet users as of March/05, 48.5% of the population, according to the Computer Industry Almanac C.I. Almanac.

Latest Belgium Population Estimate:
10,516,112 population for 2007, according to world-gazetteer.

Gross National Income:
GNI per capita is US$ 35,700 ('06) according to World Bank.

Country Size (Area):
Belgium has 30,518 sq km - Population density is 343 persons per sq km.

Belgium Telecommunications Market Reports - Number of Internet Subscribers in Belgium

In the first quarter of 2007 there was an increase of 2.41% in the total number of Internet connections. This increase can mainly be attributed to a growth of 3.48% in the number of broadband connections (cable and DSL), while the number of dial-up connections continues to drop.

The residential market represents a total of 2,052,093 (+2.36%) connections, due to a continuous increase of the number of broadband connections (+3,58% or 64.936 new connections). On the other hand, the number of dial-up connections continues to drop and represents only 171,000 lines (a fall of almost 18,000 lines). Broadband connections represent a 92% share of the overall number of residential connections.

The business market, for its part, experienced a growth of 2.60%, giving a total of 437,918 connections. This increase can be mainly explained by the continuous growth of the number of broadband connections (3%) which represent 96.5% of all business connections.

Source: ISPA Belgium - the Belgian Internet Services Providers Association.

Belgium Broadband Market - Overview & Statistics report
One of the smaller and more densely populated countries in Europe, Belgium was initially slow to adopt the Internet and related data and broadband. However, the broadband market has taken off in recent years, largely at the expense of dial-up Internet subscriptions. Being a heavily cabled country, most broadband activity was initially from the cable TV network operators. Although strong ADSL growth has developed since 2001, cable has retained a 38-40% market share. This Paul Budde report profiles Belgium’s fixed and wireless broadband markets in 2005, and assesses developments in related technologies such as WFA, WLAN and WiFi. Get the complete report.

Belgium Convergence - Triple Play & Digital TV report
The incumbent, Belgacom, is gradually losing market share in the telephone market as cable TV companies and other providers offer VoIP and mobile services to their traditional pay TV and broadband packages. Cable TV companies are also developing Video-on-Demand (VoD) services, and a range of media rich and interactive TV developments. Belgium has a relatively small and highly concentrated broadcasting sector, characterised by regional and language variations. A large majority of homes passed for cable subscribe to digital services. This Paul Budde report presents a review of triple play developments in 2005, and a comprehensive overview of the country’s broadcasting market, providing statistics on the major service providers. It also notes the status of digital, cable and satellite TV. See report table of content.

Belgium Key Statistics, Telecom Market & Regulatory Overviews
Belgium has a small but advanced telecommunications market. The country’s comprehensive DSL and cable networks have provided an excellent basis for the take-up of IP-based technologies. Broadband penetration is almost twice the EU average, and the fifth highest in Europe. This report introduces the key aspects of the Belgian telecom market in 2005. Comprehensive data is provided on fixed network services, and on the broadband and mobile phone sectors. In addition to valuable statistics, the report overviews the key regulatory issues, noting the status of interconnection, Local Loop Unbundling, number portability and carrier preselection. The telecommunications infrastructure and major fixed network operators and are also profiled in this Paul Budde report. Get the complete report

Belgium Mobile Market - Overview & Statistics
Belgium’s mobile market is characterised by the clear triopoly of the incumbent’s mobile division, Proximus, and two established new entrants, which together controlled about half of the market in 2005. Although developed, the market has room to grow, and only one 3G operator has launched services. This Paul Budde report profiles Belgian’s mobile market in 2005, providing the latest statistics on the main players, as well as the most recent developments on UMTS/3G roll-outs. Take-up of the major mobile data services, including SMS, WAP, GPRS and i-mode, is also noted.

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