There are many Mobile Operators in Belgium but only three actually own the physical towers and radio spectrum: Proximus, Orange Belgium (formerly Mobistar), and Base. The other mobile providers buy their access from these three. For some information about the difference, check out the definitions.
List of mobile providers
The following is a list of the mobile providers in Belgium with links to more info about each. Providers come and go as the market changes, so expect this list to only ever be a partial listing. If you want a complete list, you could also try this full list of mobile providers in Belgium.
- Proximus
- Orange Belgium (formerly Mobistar)
- Base (owned by Telenet)
- Mobile Vikings (Base)
- Telenet (owner of BASE since 2015)
- Scarlet (Proximus)
- Ello Mobile (Base)
Considerations when picking a mobile provider
When looking through each company’s offer, there are a number of things to consider. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- How much you will use the internet? Picking the right Belgian mobile internet package requires some research as well as consideration about how much you will use the internet.
- Where will you use your mobile? Not all coverage is equal. In terms of 2G/3G, Proximus’ network has the densest coverage but Base and Orange Belgium are close on their heels. If you are looking for the best 4G+ coverage, it is worth checking the coverage map to understand how good the signal will be where you live and work.
- How often will you make calls? Each company has different costs for making and receiving calls. But you’ll need to balance this with your other uses.
- What other options will you need on your mobile? There are many options and its hard to compare. The Belgian telecommunications regulator, BIPT, has a tool to compare mobile, internet, and telephone options in Belgium.
- Do you want to donate to charity? Ello Mobile donates 100% of their profit to charity. Good for the social conscience!
There are many other elements to evaluating a package, but the simplest way to begin is to identify your primary use (internet or phone) and where you will use it most often.
