Proximus CEO Guillaume Boutin and Marco Visser, CEO of DELTA Fiber, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build out FTTP in Flanders, Belgium, jointly.
They have now begun negotiations to set out the terms of the partnership.
Assuming the deal is finalised, they intend to create a joint venture to design, build, maintain and upgrade the network, which will be open and accessible for interested wholesale customers under non-exclusive and non-discriminatory terms.
The plan is to pass about 1.5 million homes and businesses in Flanders.
Renewed commitment
At the end of March, Proximus expressed its ambition to accelerate the roll-out of its fibre network as a crucial pillar of the its #inspire2022 strategy, with the purpose of connecting 2.4 million residential units by 2025.
To achieve this, the operator committed to accelerate investment to guarantee a faster and more efficient fibre roll-out, and to look at opportunities for cooperation and co-investment.
Going Dutch
DELTA Fiber is a Dutch company with more than 700,000 fibre connections all throughout the Netherlands, and aims to connect 1 million households and companies by the end of 2021 in the Netherlands.
DELTA Fiber has an open network over which multiple wholesale parties can provide their services to consumers and companies.
By joining forces, Proximus and DELTA Fiber hope to leverage know-how and efficiency gains in fibre deployment as well as speed up coverage.
Gillaume Boutin, CEO Proximus Group, said, “This agreement marks a major step forward towards delivering on the gigabit network of the future to the benefit of our customers, employees, stakeholders and society at large.”
Marco Visser, CEO, DELTA Fiber commented, “For many years already DELTA Fiber has vast experience in the roll out of fiber, both independently as well as in collaboration with partners”