The number of complaints about poor mobile phone coverage in Belgium doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to figures by the Telecom Ombudsservice.
The Telecom Ombudsservice received some 200 complaints about interrupted or disrupted phone calls in 2023 – double the number of the year before. People often complain that they have to stand outside to make calls or close to a window, for example, ombudsman Luc Tuerlinckx said on Flemish radio.
"Poor mobile coverage indoors is often due to the building materials and insulation used," he said, adding that telecom providers Telenet, Orange and Proximus recognise the problem.
In particular with the increasingly stringent insulation standards currently, it is not always easy to ensure optimal indoor coverage. "Even insulating windows have an effect on reception," Proximus spokesperson Fabrice Gansbeke told VRT.
Strict radiation standards
While Tuerlincks also cites the saturation of the 4G network as a reason for the poor coverage, Telenet spokesperson Bart Boone said that this is only the case at busy times of the day, when many people make calls at the same time.
"Your own smartphone can also be a cause of interrupted calls. It depends on the type, the built-in antenna and the year of manufacture," he said.
Additionally, a person's location in relation to antennas also determines range. "Maybe you live too far from the mobile phone antennas, or just in between two antennas. Single houses in rural areas, such as a forest, also have poor coverage."
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However, building more antennas to expand the coverage is not as simple, as Belgium has very strict radiation standards that are a lot higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) requires. "You cannot get a licence for an antenna just like that," Boone said.
To make the network better and more stable, operators are currently rolling out the 5G network, which should provide faster internet as well as more bandwidth. This should also make mobile calls smoother in the future.
O. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
