Telenet takes over Etterbeek's cable network

Brussels, 28 December 2018 – Following the launch of an invitation to tender, the municipality of Etterbeek has sold its cable network to Telenet SPRL (hereafter: 'Telenet', Euronext Bruxelles: TNET). This takeover has made Telenet the owner of a cable network whose operator had already been offering telecommunications services since 1997.  This provides Telenet with end-to-end control over the current and future quality of the network, thus allowing it to better serve its customers.

Telenet has been offering telecommunications services (TV, internet, fixed telephony) since 1997 in the municipality of Etterbeek through a contract with the municipality. This has allowed Telenet to use its cable network (HFC - or hybrid fibre coaxial - network) for an annual fee, and to carry out any maintenance and extension of the network as a subcontractor of the municipality. As the contract will end on 31 December 2018, the municipality of Etterbeek has decided to sell this network.

Consequently, Telenet felt it should seize this opportunity to become the owner of the Etterbeek network as this would give it more end-to-end control over its current and future quality, as is the case in other municipalities in Brussels where it is already present, and thus better serve its customers. This also fits in with the company's investment strategy in Brussels. With this extra investment, Telenet will indeed be the owner of all the cable infrastructures it operates on in Brussels [1].

The transaction was carried out on Thursday, December 27th after being approved by the Etterbeek Municipal Council last October.

The takeover will have no effect on the situation of the customers, continuity is ensured.

[1] In other words, in the 13 following municipalities in Brussels: Etterbeek, Ganshoren, Koekelberg, Jette, Schaerbeek, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Forest, as well as six additional municipalities following the takeover of SFR/Numéricâble in 2017: Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, City of Brussels, Watermael-Boitsfort, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Anderlecht and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.