Alexandra Borgeaud
Research expert covering cybersecurity and tech in Latin America
Telecoms firms in Benelux – statistics & facts
Known for their fries, beers, and dynamic economies, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg form the Benelux Union (Benelux), a treaty-based intergovernmental organization established in 1944. The three founding member states foreshadowed the model for the European Union. At first, the political-economic union focused on removing trade restrictions and promoting the movement of people, products, and services. To advance cross-border collaboration and serve as a living laboratory for Europe, the Benelux now addresses a wider variety of issues, such as sustainable development, security, energy, and telecommunications.
Three dynamic markets dominated by big players
The telecommunications market in Benelux is characterized by a competitive environment with a growing demand for high-speed internet and mobile services. Each of the Benelux countries sees three operators dominating their respective industries. In the Netherlands, KPN, a former government-owned service, holds the upper hand in the fixed telephone market with a share of around 62.5 percent by number of minutes. KPN, along with VodafoneZiggo, was also the largest broadband actor, with a market share of around 37.5 percent. Odido, formerly T-Mobile Netherlands, leads the mobile market, with a share of around 42.5 percent when measured by mobile connections, followed by KPN, VodafoneZiggo, and various mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). Proximus leads the telecoms industry in Belgium by penetration rate in all regions except Flanders and is joined at the top by Telenet, and Orange. Finally, while the telecoms sector in Luxembourg is dominated by the POST Luxembourg Group, Proximus, and Orange also constitute major players in the country.Small country, critical company
Despite a population of just over 660 thousand at the end of 2023, Luxembourg’s economy is one of the most dynamic and open in Europe. It is also there that Europe’s first private satellite operator, SES Satellites (SES), was founded in 1985. SES is considered today as one of the leading satellite operators, with a revenue of approximately two billion euros in 2023, equally distributed between its Video and Networks business segments. Through its most advanced satellite system, O3b mPOWER, SES strives to enable easy migration to 4G and 5G networks, thus contributing to bridging the digital divide globally. Satellite communications are poised to play an increasingly significant role in supporting the 5G ecosystem in years to come, thanks to intrinsic advantages such as higher broadcasting capabilities, global coverage, and reduced reliance on terrestrial infrastructure.
