topics
tools
Expatica countries
editor's choice

Learning with the International Primary Curriculum

Remote training for expatriates

Should our kids go native too?

Pre-school activities in Belgium

How expats are learning the local lingo

Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2093.8 0.96
DAX 6331.04 0.95
IBEX 30 6524 -0.65
CAC 40 3027.15 0.64
FTSE 100 5304.48 0.70
AEX 290.54 0.61
DJIA 12465.2 0.77
Nasdaq 2834.82 2.02
FTSE MIB 13012.04 -0.28
TSX Composite 11280.64 -0.44
ASX 4124.4 0.62
Hang seng 18922.32 -0.16
Straits Times 2790.16 0.40
ISEQ 20 489.94 0.63
You are here: Home Moving to Country Facts Switching on: Belgian utilities
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


01/05/2010Switching on: Belgian utilities

Switching on: Belgian utilities Just arrived? Our updated guide will help you get connected to Belgium's utilities, plus telephone, television and internet services.

Utilities

For connection of all utilities, you will need a Belgian ID card or a passport if you have just arrived.

Electric and gas companies are finally open to competition, though the monopolies of Electrabel and Sibelgaz remain the two main providers of electricity and gas with subsidiary partners providing the services in different regions.

Water is also supplied on a regional basis.

Household rubbish collection is organised by the city or communal councils. It is usually collected twice a week. Recycling is becoming more common and there are special yellow sacks for paper and blue for recyclable items such as PET containers, plastic and aluminium. Brussels has recently introduced the environmentally friendly approach, with white, blue and yellow bags.

Antwerp

Electricity
IMEA
078 35 35 34
 
Gas
IGAO
078 35 35 34

Gas Leaks
0800 65 065

Waste Disposal
03 220 8211

Water
AWW
03 244 05 44

Brussels

Electricity and Gas
Sibelgaz
02 549 41 00

Power Failure
02 274 4066

Gas Leaks
02 274 4044

Waste Disposal
0800 981 81

Water
IBDE/BIWM
02 739.52.11 (Emergency)

Ghent

Electricity and Gas
IMEWO
078 35 35 34

Power Failure
078 35 35 00

Gas Leaks
0800 65 065

Waste Disposal
09 240 81 11

Water
TMVW
078 35 35 99

Liège

Electricity
ALE
04 263 18.80

InterMosane
078 15 78 01

Gas
ALG
04 254 47 02

InterMosane
078 15 78 01

Power Failure
078 78 78 00

Gas Leaks
0800 87 087

Waste Disposal
04 222 4422

Water
SWDE
078 15 16 17

Fixed phone lines
Belgacom still has a monopoly on fixed-line telephone services, but is now partly privatised, resulting in greater efficiency and cheaper bills. Telenet is its biggest competition at the moment, but still only offers service in parts of the country. Tele 2 is also making headway in the domestic market. Contact details for all phone operators are
the same country-wide so are listed below without city headings.

Belgacom
Special expatriate services
0800 32 005
General information (English)
0800 55 800
www.belgacom.be

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Tele2 (now part of Base)
www.tele2.be

Telenet
0800 666 55
www.telenet.be

 Mobile phones

There are only three mobile phone providers with big-player Proximus being part of the Belgacom group.

You can choose from either the complicated tariff system or a pay-and-go card. Mobile phones rates are still relatively expensive.

If you wish to change provider, the law allows you to do so without changing your phone number.


MOBILE PHONES
Base
0486 19 19 99
www.base.be

Mobistar
0495 95 95 00
www.mobistar.be

Proximus
078 05 6030
www.proximus.be

Television

Belgium is one of the most cabled countries in the world with television typically offering over 40 channels. Although there are some 30 cable operators in Belgium, they often enjoy a monopoly in a particular region.  The choice of channels also varies. The Dutch-speaking channels transmit anglophone films, documentaries, series, and sit-coms in their original version whilst the French channels usually dub.

Satellite television is also available and some providers offer Sky from the UK.  There is a fairly hefty set-up charge as Sky is not allowed to market its product on the continent because of licensing agreements.

Digital television is at varying stages depending on where you live and which company provides your cable service. The national picture is split regionally with the Flemish community destined to switch over to digital at the end of 2008 and the French-speaking community switching over in 2011.

There now appears to be greater competition in trying to offer combined services: telephone, internet and television.  Belgacom TV entered the market recently but does not carry the BBC channels.  Most of the TV cable companies also offer Internet connection via the cable, so it’s worth shopping around – though you may find you fall foul of a monopoly by one company and feel frustrated that your choice is not available in your area.

Television with English programming

Belgian channels: Kanaal 2, Ketnet/Canvas, VTM, VT4, VRT-TV1

Dutch channels: Holland 1, Holland 2, Holland 3

International: BBC 1 and 2, BBC World, CNN International, CNBC,
Euro News, Euro Sport, MTV Europe, BeTV  requires a decoder, see www.betv.be  

Major cable television and Internet providers

Brutélé    
TV 02 500 991
www.brutele.be

Numéricable
02 226 52 00
www.numericable.be

Electrabel
078 78 0123
www.tvcablenet.be

Telenet
0800 668 01
www.telenet.be

X-BO
02 649 68 69
www.x-bo.com

Digital TV providers
Telenet
www.telenet.be

Belgacom
www.belgacom.be

Satellite TV providers

Tv From Home
0485 38 74 02
http://tvfromhome.be/

Sky TV in Belgium
+ 44 207 100 91
http://storesatellite.com/sky-tv-belgium.php

Dial-up and ASDL Internet providers


Belgacom ADSL
www.belgacom.be/adsl

Clearwire (no telephone connection required)
www.clearwire.be

Cybernet
www.cybernet.be

Freeworld
www.freeworld.be

Scarlet
www.scarlet.be

Skynet
0800 23 451  
www.skynet.be


0 reactions to this article

0 reactions to this article

Looking for a job?

Browse all jobs

Search for a home?

Browse all houses
ask your question
Discussion Forums

American in Belgium

U.S. Citizens, plan to vote in 2012? Did you know...

Community Noticeboard Belgium

Moving to Belgium

Belgian News

Question of the day

American in Belgium

My computer will not recognise my DVD-RW drive

Australian in Belgium

Aussie mums around Antwerp?

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Looking for work in Belgium

Looking for work in Belgium

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.

Learning to cope with life abroad

Learning to cope with life abroad

The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.