Ultra-fast fiber access in Mechelen: “We maken het net beter”

Mechelen, 29 April 2026 – Wyre, established as a joint venture between the Mechelen-based telecommunications company Telenet group (hereinafter: Telenet) and Fluvius, together with rollout partner Unit-T and the City of Mechelen, is accelerating the fiber rollout in the Dyle city. Under the joint approach “We maken het net beter”, the collaboration is being organized more sharply, with stronger oversight and guarantees on quality. In this way, the whole of Mechelen will be fully covered with Wyre fiber by the summer of 2027, one and a half years earlier than originally foreseen.

As Wyre’s home city, and built on a strong, historic collaboration between Telenet and the city administration, Mechelen is serving as the pilot city for a renewed way of working together on fiber rollout. Together with the Mechelen city services and the Mechelen Entrepreneurs’ Platform, the framework of agreements was discussed and further refined, with clear responsibilities, fixed coordination and shared ownership. Rollout partner Unit-T, also headquartered in Mechelen, likewise put its shoulder to the effort, ensuring short lines with the city and smooth coordination on the ground. The experiences in Mechelen form the basis for applying this approach later in other Flemish central cities as well.

“Our approach in Mechelen shows that you can roll out fiber faster without placing an undue burden on the city. By working within a clear framework of agreements, we are ensuring rapid access to gigabit connectivity here, as well as an approach that works in other cities too.” – Micha Berger, CEO of Wyre

Accelerated rollout

Thanks to the scaled-up cooperation, Wyre is increasing implementation capacity in Mechelen. In recent months, the company has successfully deployed additional crews, meaning that works in the street are completed up to twice as fast as originally planned. By the summer of 2027, Mechelen will be equipped with fiber. For residents and traders, this primarily means shorter work periods and less disruption in the street. The works, incidentally, have no impact on their current network connection. As a result, they also gain faster access to fiber and gigabit connectivity.

We maken het net beter

With “We maken het net beter”, Wyre and its partners are opting for an approach that starts from the experience of residents and traders. Works take less time, communication is clearer, and Mechelen residents have a better understanding of what is happening, how long it will take, and who they can turn to with questions. The result is a streetscape that returns to normal more quickly, while Mechelen residents can rely on a stable and future-oriented network.

“For Telenet group, making the ‘net’ better is also extremely important. Strong infrastructure only counts when customers can benefit from it effortlessly every day. Together with Wyre and Unit-T, we are giving Mechelen residents faster access to the network of the future and translating that infrastructure into a reliable digital-first telecom experience. Today and tomorrow.” – John Porter, Chair of Wyre’s Board of Directors and CEO of Telenet group.

“Mechelen has always had the ambition to lead the way, including when it comes to digital infrastructure. At the same time, we all know what it means when streets are dug up. That is never pleasant, especially when works follow one another in quick succession. This is exactly why clear agreements and close coordination are so important. We are investing strongly in that approach, to limit disruption as much as possible. The fact that three Mechelen-based companies are succeeding in completing the rollout a year and a half earlier than planned, resulting in a high‑performance network for residents and businesses alike, is an important step forward for our city.” – Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen

About Wyre

Wyre is the infrastructure company created in 2023 from the partnership between Telenet group and Fluvius. Wyre is laying a modern fiber-optic network in Belgium and maintaining Telenet's coax network. Wyre stands for the best connectivity, with internet speeds of 10 Gbps and more - via both coax (HFC) and fiber (FTTH). Wholesale agreements allow (telecom) companies to use the Wyre network in a fair and open way. Today, three operators are active on the network: Telenet (FTTH and HFC), Orange (FTTH and HFC) and Wan Connect (HFC).