belgacom
From 2005 to 2010: consolidation, convergence and first bundled offers[edit]
2005 was marked by two important events for Belgacom: the launch of Belgacom TV and the takeover bid on Telindus. The first signs of digital TV in Belgium appeared in 2004, when Belgacom started its first digital TV tests in a few hundred homes. In May 2005, the Belgian operator took the market by surprise when it acquired the rights to broadcast professional Belgian football (D1 & D2) for the next three seasons through its subsidiary Skynet iMotions Activities.
This step anticipated the imminent launch of Belgacom TV in June 2005. This digital TV offer via ADSL was the first of its kind in Belgium and transformed Belgacom into a quadruple player, offering fixed telephony, mobile telephony, high-speed Internet as well as television. It also enabled the Belgian company to secure new sources of income, given that the profit margins on its traditional activities are becoming increasingly reduced.
2005 was also the year of the takeover bid on Telindus, a leader in the network integration sector. An initial bid, considered “hostile” by the Telindus management, was made in September. This marked the start of a stock-market saga that would go on for almost four months. Tensions were high between the two companies, and the different stakeholders fought it out in the press. After a counter bid launched by France Télécom, Belgacom eventually carried the day, arriving at a conditional partnership agreement with Telindus in late December. Belgacom had responded by increasing its bid for Telindus, which enabled the conditional partnership agreement to be reached.
In August 2006 Belgacom the acquisition of Vodafone’s 25% share in Proximus, giving the firm a wholly owned quadruple play offering.[3] The firm subsequently launched its first bundled offers between Belgacom and Proximus.
At the end of March 2009, the company had more than 555,000 Belgacom TV customers. The coverage rate of digital
2005 was marked by two important events for Belgacom: the launch of Belgacom TV and the takeover bid on Telindus. The first signs of digital TV in Belgium appeared in 2004, when Belgacom started its first digital TV tests in a few hundred homes. In May 2005, the Belgian operator took the market by surprise when it acquired the rights to broadcast professional Belgian football (D1 & D2) for the next three seasons through its subsidiary Skynet iMotions Activities.
This step anticipated the imminent launch of Belgacom TV in June 2005. This digital TV offer via ADSL was the first of its kind in Belgium and transformed Belgacom into a quadruple player, offering fixed telephony, mobile telephony, high-speed Internet as well as television. It also enabled the Belgian company to secure new sources of income, given that the profit margins on its traditional activities are becoming increasingly reduced.
2005 was also the year of the takeover bid on Telindus, a leader in the network integration sector. An initial bid, considered “hostile” by the Telindus management, was made in September. This marked the start of a stock-market saga that would go on for almost four months. Tensions were high between the two companies, and the different stakeholders fought it out in the press. After a counter bid launched by France Télécom, Belgacom eventually carried the day, arriving at a conditional partnership agreement with Telindus in late December. Belgacom had responded by increasing its bid for Telindus, which enabled the conditional partnership agreement to be reached.
In August 2006 Belgacom the acquisition of Vodafone’s 25% share in Proximus, giving the firm a wholly owned quadruple play offering.[3] The firm subsequently launched its first bundled offers between Belgacom and Proximus.
At the end of March 2009, the company had more than 555,000 Belgacom TV customers. The coverage rate of digital