Proximus has become the first operator in Belgium to launch a commercial standalone 5G service, branded 5G+, extending its mobile offer beyond the non-standalone 5G networks that have so far dominated the local market.
The operator said the new service is available from 7 April for business customers on selected tariffs, with residential users and small businesses due to follow in the summer.
The launch matters because 5G+ is based on a cloud-native 5G core rather than the 4G core used by non-standalone deployments, allowing Proximus to introduce features such as Voice over New Radio, stronger security and, over time, end-to-end network slicing for services including emergency communications, payments and media applications. Proximus said the move should also improve performance during traffic peaks in crowded locations such as events, airports and city centres.
Initially, access is limited. Proximus said 5G+ will first be offered to enterprise customers on its Mobile Connect and Together Mobile plans using a compatible SIM, while support for eSIM will come later. At launch, only Google’s Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 handsets are supported, with additional vendors still going through certification.
The Belgian incumbent is pitching the rollout as a step towards new wholesale and enterprise-grade use cases, with network slicing likely to be one of the main commercial differentiators once the platform is fully scaled. Telecompaper reported the service is built on a cloud-native core developed with Ericsson, underlining the importance of vendor partnerships as European operators move from 5G coverage to 5G monetisation.
Proximus is also using the launch to highlight how slowly standalone 5G has developed in Europe. Citing recent market data, the operator said only 2.8% of European 5G connections currently use standalone architecture, compared with 32% in North America and 80% in China. GSMA Intelligence has likewise warned that Europe is lagging on more advanced 5G capabilities even as basic 5G coverage improves.
The operator said its 5G footprint already reaches 92% of the Belgian population and that it is targeting near-total national coverage by the end of 2026. Proximus had previously said it aimed for full nationwide 5G coverage this year, suggesting the focus is now shifting from radio rollout to activating the higher-value capabilities of a standalone core.
