Citymesh and DIGI win spectrum in the auction and will start building a nationwide network

Citymesh as 4th operator for the B2B market

“Citymesh already delivers mobile services to the business market. Thanks to the additional spectrum and the new nationwide mobile network, Citymesh can start offering a hybrid mobile strategy, from private to a public network and back. This while ensuring end-to-end security and quality.” states Mitch De Geest, CEO of Citymesh. “Connectivity within private business networks can now be extended with the seamless transition to a national public network.”

Companies without their own mobile private network can also become a customer with operator Citymesh. They can rely on a performant 5G-network, business oriented service desk and concepts like the bundling of the data traffic over all employees.

“It is our ambition to realize an innovative telecom offering to the business market, ranging from simple mobile subscriptions all the way to complex mobile private networks. With the possibilities that 5G offers, there are lots of opportunities for a player with a strikt industrial telecom focus.” continues Mitch De Geest.

For IT-group Cegeka, the mother company behind Citymesh, this investment is perfectly aligned with the strategic ambitions to further realize the synergy between IT and telecom. “The combination between IT and telecom offers great opportunities for our customers across all markets. The investments in a mobile operator that focuses on 5G is the capstone for the trinity of innovation: Cloud, AI and 5G, in which we at Cegeka truly believe. In addition, Cegeka can now further offer "Security As a Service" up to network level through an ultra-reliable environment provided by the Citymesh 5G network” says Stijn Bijnens, CEO van Cegeka.

Operator DIGI opens up the consumer market

For the consumer market in Belgium, DIGI’s entrance means more competition and diversity of communication, content and additional services, from which Belgian consumers will directly benefit.

"After Romania, Spain, Italy and Portugal (where we also won new entrant spectrum in 2021), we are excited to start with the preparations for the build of new generation networks and to provide a consumer offering in Belgium as well. Further details will be announced later this year. We are confident that we will soon be able to offer high-quality networks and services at affordable prices”, says Valentin Popoviciu, Vice-President of DIGI.

Joint Venture between Citymesh and DIGI builds nationwide 5G-network

To make the most out of the additional spectrum that was granted to Citymesh and DIGI, thousand mobile telecom sites will need to be realized. This is a huge investment for Citymesh as a B2B operator. Therefore, Citymesh is bundling his strengths with DIGI in a joint venture. This joint venture follows the trend where 2 operators roll-out a joint national 4G/5G infrastructure, but pursue their own market approach.

Performant coverage of cities and rural areas, but also rail- and highway infrastructure will be the cornerstone of this venture. Jointly building this network will ensure energy and cost efficient roll-out which eventually will benefit the entire society and customers.

"Our goal is to build the best, highest performing 4G/5G network in the country. Because we start from a blank sheet of paper, we have the opportunity to take advantage of the technological advances of 5G from the start and can optimally plan the rollout," says Mitch De Geest, CEO of Citymesh.

DIGI has the necessary experience to help support the joint venture's ambitious plans, both from the construction and high standards operations of the network, which is why both parties will act quickly to meet the national coverage requirements.

To realize all of the above, the quest for new colleagues has already begun. Check out all vacancies on http://www.thenewnetwork.be