How Do You Switch Telecom Provider in Belgium?

Written by Maaike Zahn

Telecom expert

Maaike is een telecom expert die toegewijd is aan jou helpen het juiste telecom abonnement te vinden. Zij helpt jou graag met het vinden van antwoorden op al je vragen over internet, TV en telefonie en het vergelijken van alle telecom abonnementen.

Changing provider can be done by using Easy Switch or with number portability. It is, moreover, possible to use the services of CallMePower. Our telecom experts help you free of charge with switching providers, taking out a new contract, and cancelling your current contract. You call us at: +32 2588 2547.

Changing Provider Using Easy Switch

Changing your broadband provider is very easy thanks to the Easy Switch procedure. When using Easy Switch, you give your new provider permission to cancel your current broadband or TV contact.

Follow these steps to use Easy Switch:

1. Compare telecom providers and decide which offer you would like to take out.
2. Start the ordering process of your new telecom provider.
3. Indicate - when asked - that you would like to use Easy Switch.
4. Indicate who your current broadband / TV provider is.
5. Indicate what your Easy Switch ID and customer numbers are.
6. Indicate when you want your contract with your new provider to start.
7. Complete the ordering process.

It is only possible to use Easy Switch when you take out a new broadband or TV subscription or a pack with at least broadband or TV. Moreover, your current contract has to be with a Belgian telecom provider.

Switching Providers With a New Installation

If you change broadband provider, an installation will have to take place in your new home. If your house is already connected to the network of your new provider, only a new modem will need to be installed. If this is not the case, your home also needs to be connected to the network.

During the ordering process, you can specify when the installation should take place. Make sure an adult is always present during the appointment, otherwise the appointment will be cancelled, and you will have to pay a fine.

If the technician does not show up, you will receive 30€. The fee is awarded automatically and increases by 6€ per extra day without a connection.

What Do I Do With My Old Devices?

If you have changed broadband provider, you will have to return all equipment to the telecom provider. This includes the modem, TV decoder, Wi-Fi boosters, cabling and all other accessories. It is important that you return the materials at short notice, otherwise you may be charged a fee. In most cases, you will see these reflected on your last invoice. If the materials arrive at the provider after the last invoice, the costs will be refunded to you.

You can find out exactly which materials you need to send back to your old telecom provider in your contract. If you have any doubts, you can contact your old telecom provider for more information.

Changing your mobile phone provider

In principle, switching mobile phone providers is very simple. However, if you want to change provider with number portability, there are a few extra steps involved.

If you want to receive a new number - and thus not change your mobile phone provider with number portability - you have to cancel your current subscription yourself. If you want to keep your current number, your new provider will cancel your current subscription.

Be aware that you can only keep your current phone number if the phone number is already Belgian. Phone numbers of other countries cannot be moved to a Belgian telecom provider.

How Can You Change Providers With Number Portability?

Follow these steps to change providers with number portability:

1. Compare telecom providers and subscriptions and decide which subscription you want.
2. Start the ordering process of your new telecom provider.
3. Indicate - when asked - that you want to keep your current mobile number.
4. Indicate who your current mobile phone provider is.
5. Enter your sim card number.
6. Indicate when you want to switch to your new provider.
7. Complete the ordering process.

Your new telecom provider will then transfer your mobile phone number to a new sim card and cancel the subscription with your old provider for you.

How long does it take to switch mobile phone providers?

Each mobile phone provider uses its own sim card. When switching providers, you will always receive a new sim card at home. With some telecom providers, you can also request an eSIM, which you will receive directly via e-mail.

You will receive a text message indicating the exact date of the switch. At this time, your range on your old sim card will be lost. Only after this happened, change the sim card in your smartphone. With your new sim card, you will have immediate coverage.

Does my mobile phone have to be paid off before I can switch providers?

If you have taken out a mobile phone subscription with a smartphone, you basically pay a certain amount each month for your smartphone. This way, you will often pay off your smartphone in full after two years.

In this case, your contract also includes an instalment plan, indicating exactly how much you will pay each month on top of your subscription fee for your smartphone and how much the remaining debt is.

Is your smartphone not yet fully paid off, but you already want to switch providers? This is possible! However, keep in mind that you still need to pay off your smartphone after the switch. For this, your provider may send you an invoice equal to the residual value of the device at that time.

Switching provider with CallMePower

At CallMePower, we help you find a new telecom subscription that suits you perfectly, free of charge and with no obligation.

CallMePower's service is free and non-binding and only takes a few minutes. Call our experts now at: +32 2588 2547

Want to switch mobile phone subscriptions? Then make sure you have the sim card number and phone number of the subscription you want to switch. Before changing broadband provider, make sure you have your Easy Switch ID and customer number to hand.

When Can You Switch Provider?

When you can change providers depends on the duration of your contract.

If the price of your subscriptions increases or new indexation is implemented by your telecom provider, you can terminate your contract free of charge. You can do this until the first day of the month in which the rate increase takes effect.

The exact procedure for cancelling your contract varies per telecom provider.

Why Is It Good To Change Telecom Subscription?

The main reason for changing providers is that you can save a lot of money. With mobile phone alone, you can save up to 312€ a year, according to the BIPT's October 2023 survey on the Belgian mobile phone market.

The same can be seen when it comes to broadband and packs. Here, too, you can save a lot if you switch from a historical telecom provider to one of the other providers. BIPT's October 2024 survey showed that changing providers for packs can save you up to 664€ a year!

More Households Decide to Switch Providers

Research by CallMePower found that a large number of households still have a telecom pack. Nevertheless, the research does show a trend, with a 7% decrease in the amount of packs taken out, more households seem to be taking out their subscriptions separately (and possibly with different providers).

This is supported by the fact that, on the contrary, 8% more subscriptions were concluded with non-traditional telecom providers (Orange, Proximus, Telenet and VOO). Nevertheless, it appears that over 80% of households still become customers with these traditional providers.

The same survey shows that fewer and fewer packs with a fixed line are being taken out (2% in 2024 compared to 6% in 2022) and that the amount of households deciding to take out a TV subscription without a decoder remains very low (5% of all packs with TV taken out in 2024).

Written by Maaike Zahn

Telecom expert

Maaike is een telecom expert die toegewijd is aan jou helpen het juiste telecom abonnement te vinden. Zij helpt jou graag met het vinden van antwoorden op al je vragen over internet, TV en telefonie en het vergelijken van alle telecom abonnementen.