IBPT (Belgian institute of postal services and telecommunications) and its counterpart in Luxemburg IRL, have signed an agreement whereby it will be possible to use a Belgian mobile phone number on a Luxembourgian network - and vice versa – although theoretically the numbers are registered in one country only, announced IBPT in a press release on Thursday. The new agreement will allow Luxembourgian phone companies to offer calls, text messages, and the internet for the same price in Belgium and in Luxemburg.
In practice, the agreement will allow consumers to link an IMSI from Luxemburg (an IMSI is a number valid on any mobile phone for use within one network) to a Belgian mobile phone number. A ministerial decree was also issued to allow this reciprocity; Belgian providers will thus have the same rights in Luxemburg.
Subscribers will be able to make mobile phone calls, text, and surf the web, through their own provider, from one country to the other, for the same price. As of now, JOIN Experience, a Luxembourgian provider, have said they are interested; they would use the BASE network in Belgium.
“I hope more providers and more countries will soon join them; roaming charges could disappear in this innovative way, which will benefit citizens and businesses,” points out the minister for telecommunications, Alexander De Croo, cited in the press release.
(Source: Belga)
