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Proximus to Sell 500 Buildings in Copper Network Shutdown

Networking

Business Honor
09 June, 2025

Proximus plans to switch from outdated copper networks to fiber technology and sell 500 buildings by 2035.

The Belgian telecom company Proximus is preparing for a major real estate sale as it switches to faster fiber technology and wipes out its outdated copper network. By 2035, Proximus wants to sell approximately 60% of its buildings, or 500 properties covering 500,000 square meters, according to L'Echo.

The plan is part of the company's strategy to discontinue its copper network and switch to fiber optics. Sale will take place in two stages. Next week marks the beginning of the first phase, which will see about 100 of Proximus's most attractive buildings put up for sale. Some of these will be leased back by Proximus for a specific period of time in order to maintain service throughout the shutdown of the copper network.

Another 350 buildings will be sold in the second phase, which will begin in 2028 and mainly include no leaseback agreements. Five years after the installation of fiber in a certain location, the company shuts down the copper network. The first complete copper shutdown took place in Brussels, next to Anspachlaan, in 2022.

Proximus plans to replace fiber technology with a copper network in 95% of the country by 2032. This change is a part of a worldwide trend, as telecom companies in the US, UK, Spain, and other countries are selling their unused buildings and switching to faster fiber technology.