Free internet for low incomes in Belgium
We know XS4ALL, one of the Internet providers from the very beginning that has attracted a lot of attention in recent years and a KPN brand that is on the way to the exit. In Belgium, provider Proximus has started ‘Internet for All’, a project that allows people with a low income, who cannot afford expensive subscriptions, to get an internet connection at special rates and with high discounts.
Eradicating Digital Exclusion
Thanks to a subsidy from the Belgian government, there is now also a solution for the very poorest, or as Proximus calls it, Belgians in deprivation. If they meet the conditions, they can use a free 4G internet subscription with 40GB data per month. In addition to the subscription, a 4G modem is also provided free of charge. The subscription runs for a maximum of 1 year, but can also be extended afterwards, provided the customer still meets the ‘poverty conditions’.
The Internet for All project is mainly intended to eradicate digital exclusion. At the moment, almost one in ten Belgians cannot afford an internet subscription. Thanks to the new solution, subsidized by the government, Proximus aims to provide thousands of underprivileged Belgians with an internet connection. A total of 12,000 modems and subscriptions are available for this project.
Not for gaming or streaming
The subscription offers a maximum download speed of 5 Megabit per second and an upload of a maximum of 2 Mbit/s and is mainly intended so that people can go online for checking e-mail, following online education, handling administrative tasks and maintaining of social contacts.
The monthly data bundle (40GB) and the speeds offered are therefore not suitable for gaming or streaming video services. When the data limit is reached, the maximum download speed is throttled to 512 Kbit/s, without extra costs being charged for the data that is used afterwards.
“In this age of teleworking, distance learning, quarantine and isolation, an internet connection is essential for social and professional contacts. In short, to be able to participate in society. 9% of Belgian families do not have an internet connection at home and are therefore at risk of social exclusion. I am therefore very happy with this ‘Internet for All’ project launched by Proximus, because it will enable thousands of additional people to follow the lessons via Smartschool or participate in meetings via Teams or Zoom” said Petra De Sutter, Minister of Telecommunications.