NRB acquired 20MHz in the 3600MHz band to offer 5G directly to its customers but has now decided to embrace the MVNO model
Belgium’s former incumbent, Proximus, it looking to acquire more 5G spectrum from NRB in the 3600MHz range. Proximus says the acquisition will support its “ambition to continue to offer the best mobile experience in Belgium for decades to come”.
NRB is selling its 5G licence to refocus on its core business, while maintaining its commitment to offering 5G services. The companies are discussing a possible wholesale agreement.
The NRB Group is one of the biggest ICT firms in the country and serves public and private sectors organisations in Europe. In 2022, it had revenues of €505.4 million and more than 3,450 employees.
Spectrum auction in 2022
When the 5G spectrum was auctioned in the summer of 2022, Proximus decided to invest €600 million over 20 years.
At the same auction, NRB acquired 20 MHz in the 3600MHz frequency band to provide 5G services to customers in the public and social sector, industry and biotech, energy and public utilities, financial organisations and insurance companies.
Now the Belgian company has decided against rolling out its own mobile network, but intends to continue offering 5G services to customers as an MVNO – possibly through a partnership with Proximus.
Raising the limit
Acquiring the additional 20 MHz in the 3600 MHz band would give Proximus a total of 120 MHz so that the operator could add more capacity where needed. In future, it could be used to improve throughput and latency, as well as the security of data flows on private mobile networks.
The agreement between Proximus and NRB was submitted to the BIPT, the federal telecoms regulator. The latter has approved the transaction, subject to the effective transfer of rights taking place after the publication of a new call for applications for the 3410-3430 MHz band in the Belgian Official Journal.
That publication is imminent and the call for applications will be accompanied by an increase in the spectrum cap from 100MHz to 120 MHz to enable Proximus to acquire NRB’s 20 MHz.