BASE (mobile operator)

Base was founded as Belgium's third major mobile network operator in 1999 under the brand name of KPN Orange. It was a joint venture between the Dutch KPN Mobile and the then British Orangetelcos.

In 2001, France Télécom acquired Orange. Because France Télécom was already active on the Belgian market as Mobistar (later known as Orange Belgium), it wasn't allowed to control two competitive networks. As a result, Base's shares were fully sold to KPN Mobile. In 2002, the brand name was changed from Orange to Base.

The fixed line and broadband operations were started in 2007 after the acquisition of Tele2 Belgium. In October 2009 the fixed line and broadbandADSL operations were rebranded from Tele2 to Base.

In 2007, Base purchased the Belgian telecommunications retail store Allo Telecom,^[2] which merged with Base in 2014.^[3]

In April 2015, it was announced that Base was being bought by Telenet for 1,325 billion euros, which would give Telenet access to a mobile network.^[4]

Base has an estimated 98% coverage of the country and 26% market share in mobile communications.

After 25 years of being a mobile-only operator, BASE launched in June 2024 broadband internet and IPTV services. The launch contributed to Telenet's strategy to expand its geographical coverage to Wallonia (except for mobile telephony, Telenet was mainly available in Flanders), and to offer a complete range of telecoms services as a value for money solution.^[5]

In order to be able to offer their new services throughout Belgium, BASE relies on the broadband networks of two different providers: the network of Wyre (a joint venture between Telenet and network operator Fluvius), and the network of VOO (acquired by Orange Belgium).^[6]