Belgian telecom procedures Easy Switch, speedtest & switching, step by step

You have four ways to switch — from easiest to most laborious:

1. Call CallMePower on 02 588 25 47 — our English-speaking advisers compare every Belgian provider, sign up your new contract and cancel your old one. Free and without obligation
2. Easy Switch — when ordering a new broadband or TV plan, give your new provider your Easy Switch ID and customer number. They cancel your old contract for you, without any service interruption. Only works for broadband and TV, and only if all old services were with the same provider
3. Number portability — when ordering a new mobile or fixed-line subscription, ask to keep your existing phone number. Your new provider then cancels your old contract for you. Always works for mobile, and for fixed line unless you move to a different telephone zone
4. Cancel yourself — only recommended if you're moving abroad or not taking a new contract. Risk of a brief internet outage or overlapping invoices. Cancellation procedures differ per provider

Read more: Switching telecom provider · Easy Switch.

Easy Switch is a 2017 Belgian government initiative that makes switching between broadband, TV and fixed-line providers painless. You give your new provider your Easy Switch ID (printed on your old invoices) and they handle the whole cancellation procedure for you — usually within one working day, with no service interruption and no double billing.

Easy Switch does not apply to standalone mobile plans — for those, use number portability instead.

Read more: Easy Switch full guide.

When you order a new mobile or fixed-line subscription, tell your new provider you want to keep your current phone number. They'll need two things from you:

1. Your current phone number
2. Your current SIM card number (printed on the SIM and visible in your provider's app)

Your new provider then automatically cancels your old contract. Number portability works for any Belgian phone number — but for fixed lines, only if you move within the same telephone zone (e.g. Brussels 02, Antwerp 03, Ghent 09).

A speedtest measures the actual internet speed delivered to the device you run it on. For a reliable result:

1. Close all other apps, downloads and background syncs
2. Run the test over an Ethernet cable if possible — Wi-Fi will skew the numbers down
3. Repeat at different times of day — peak evening hours often show lower speeds because the local network is busier

You'll see four metrics: download (most important for streaming), upload (matters for video calls and uploading large files), ping (latency — crucial for gaming) and jitter (variation in ping — should be low and stable).

Read more: Run a speedtest.

Before calling the helpdesk, try these in order:

1. Check whether you're out of your monthly data allowance
2. Check the modem — is it powered on, are all lights green?
3. Test the connection on a different device — rules out a problem with your computer
4. Move the modem — away from metal, microwaves and thick walls
5. Restart the modem and your devices
6. Run a speedtest to compare against your subscribed speed
7. Connect via Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi
8. Change the Wi-Fi channel on your modem (especially in apartments)
9. Add a Wi-Fi extender if certain rooms have poor signal

Also check whether there's a regional outage with your provider before raising a ticket.

Try to resolve it with your provider first — give them a fair chance to fix the issue. If you can't reach an acceptable outcome, you can file a complaint with the Ombudsman for Telecommunications, the independent Belgian arbitration body.

Four ways to file:

• Online complaint form on ombudsmantelecom.be
• By post: Ombudsman for Telecommunications, Koning Albert II-laan 8 box 3, 1000 Brussels
• By fax: 02 219 86 59
• By appointment at the Ombudsman office — call 02 223 09 09 to book

The Ombudsman is also reachable for free advice on 02 223 09 09. Complaints are usually handled within 31 calendar days (legal maximum: 90 days).

Timing depends on the route:

• Easy Switch (broadband/TV) — your new provider activates the service within a few working days; the old contract ends seamlessly. Total: usually 1 week
• Number portability (mobile) — the new SIM and your kept number are typically active within 1 to 3 working days after activation
• Cancelling yourself — varies per provider; some require a one-month notice. Plan for 4 to 6 weeks

In every case, switching is free of charge — Belgian law forbids exit fees on consumer telecom contracts.

If you use Easy Switch or number portability: no, you stay connected throughout. Your new provider times the activation precisely so the old service stops the moment the new one starts.

If you cancel yourself and then sign up with a new provider: yes, there can be a gap. Always start the new contract first and only cancel the old one once the new service is live.