Proximus : connects Antwerp's diamond district to its fiber network

Antwerp, 2 July 2018 - In December 2016, Proximus announced an investment of 3 billion euro over 10 years to accelerate the roll-out of fiber in Belgium. In 2017, Proximus began the roll-out of fiber in seven cities, including Antwerp.

Today, Ari Epstein, CEO of the Antwerp World Diamond Center, and Bart Van Den Meersche, Chief Enterprise Market Officer of Proximus, symbolically connected the first building in Antwerp's diamond district to Proximus' fiber network.

Proximus brings fiber to homes and businesses

In the coming years, data traffic and digital services will continue to grow exponentially, mainly driven by video and cloud applications and by the Internet of Things. As a pioneer in network technologies, Proximus wants to anticipate the needs of its customers and prepare its infrastructure for the future. That's why Proximus, which has been a pioneer in fiber for years, launched a 'Fiber for Belgium' investment plan in December 2016 to accelerate the roll-out of fiber in Belgium and reach more than 85% of businesses and the centers of all cities and municipalities with fiber. Fiber is the ultimate broadband network of the future, for both residential and business customers.

New phase in the digital shift for Antwerp's diamond district

The fiber roll-out offers Antwerp's diamond district a major asset: access to the most advanced digital services, which will boost growth and employment in the sector. This fixed network of the future also opens up a raft of new opportunities for the further digitalization of activities and customer contacts. Moreover, fiber is the ideal solution for business customers: besides more efficient collaboration, fiber offers greater reliability and better data protection.

Ari Epstein, CEO of AWDC

Antwerp's diamond district strongly invests in innovation with initiatives such as blockchain. Technological developments in the field of payments, identification and security also offer a host of possibilities for the international diamond sector. A secure and efficient connection and fast upload speeds are crucial for this, and will be available thanks to the fiber network in Antwerp's diamond district. We are therefore very pleased that Proximus, steered by alderman for diamonds Ludo Van Campenhout, has chosen to roll out its network in the diamond district.

Ludo Van Campenhout, Antwerp's alderman for diamonds and the public domain

As alderman for diamonds and the public domain, I am very proud that the diamond sector was the first major economic sector to be chosen by Proximus for the roll-out of the super-fast fiber network. This is further proof of the importance of this sector and its innovative and progressive nature!

I am delighted with the diamond district's enthusiastic response to our fiber offer. By connecting to Proximus' innovative fiber network, the diamond sector can develop its activities further and strengthen its position as a diamond trading center. Fiber offers companies a significant advantage and fully prepares them for new digital developments.