For the first time, Proximus is integrating Wi-Fi 6 into its new Internet Box
Since the beginning of May, Proximus has started equipping its customers with a brand new modem - the Internet Box - and with smart repeaters integrating Wi-Fi 6 and Mesh technologies.
In a context where the quality and performance of the Internet and Wi-Fi at home or in the office are becoming increasingly crucial, this first for Proximus customers paves the way for faster, smarter, more secure and more energy-efficient Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi plays an increasingly important role in the lives of Belgian consumers
Today, having a good internet connection at home or at work has become a basic necessity, right up there with water or electricity. The Covid pandemic, which has led to a sharp increase in home working and in the offer of online services, has only reinforced this need. At Proximus, the average volume of data consumed by customers has jumped by more than 50% over the last two years. Proximus is investing massively in the deployment of the fiber optic network to improve connectivity in homes and businesses precisely to respond to this development.
But alongside network quality, it is also important to be able to count on a stable wireless connection thanks to optimal Wi-Fi coverage. Wi-Fi technology plays an essential role in the day-to-day life of the vast majority of Belgian consumers. On the one hand, because 94% of Proximus customers connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi when they are at home or at work, but also because every home or office has an increasing number of devices connected to the Wi-Fi network. On average, Proximus customers have 21 Wi-Fi devices at home.
Naturally, this increased use of Wi-Fi is leading many customers to look for solutions to boost their network.
Over the past 2 years, the number of residential customers using Wi-Fi Extenders has increased from 27% to 46%. At the same time, Proximus has taken other initiatives to improve the Wi-Fi connectivity of its customers, whether through the MyProximus application and the activation of Smart Wi-Fi, remote monitoring or the proactive dispatch of technicians to test the quality of the network at customers' homes and implement solutions to optimize coverage.
A better surfing experience, throughout the home or office
Today, Proximus is going one step further by launching its first Internet Box that integrates Wi-Fi 6 technology. This increases surfing speed by up to 40% compared to Wi-Fi 5. The new Internet Box has been included since the beginning of May in Proximus' Flex Fiber and Business Flex Fiber residential and small business offers, with up to two intelligent Wi-Fi repeaters (also Wi-Fi 6 compatible), without any price increase.
In concrete terms, the so-called "Mesh" technology consists of a set of Wi-Fi terminals that communicate with each other in a "mesh" topology. The resulting mesh dynamically adapts to data volume requirements by intelligently distributing the load to ensure stability and maximum throughput with greater coverage than ever before, and in a way that is 100% transparent to the user. Users will be able to move around their home or office without losing their connection, as their devices will automatically connect to the Internet Box's Wi-Fi or to the repeaters.
Wi-Fi 6 is also a technology that offers exciting prospects for the future, because gradually all Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices connected will benefit from better speed thanks to smart multi-device management, which selects in real time the best frequency band and the best access point for each of them. Thanks to this technology, the waiting time when many devices are accessing the new Box at the same time is reduced, which is a real advantage both for families with online gamers or who watch a lot of videos simultaneously, as well as for freelancers or small businesses that share large files, participate in video conferences, give their clients access to Wi-Fi, etc. With a good fixed connection and the new Internet Box, everyone will be able to enjoy a good surfing experience, no matter what other users are doing online at the same time.
This innovative first lays the foundation for a superior Wi-Fi experience thanks to continuous optimizations and the gradual addition of new features to support the smart homes and offices of today and tomorrow.
Safer technology and an all-recycled plastic housing
Wi-Fi 6 is also more secure than previous generations. By adopting a new technology called WPA3, which will be integrated in the coming weeks, customer passwords will be even better protected thanks to a security key that will constantly change. In addition, the new Internet Box offers separate identification for guests, so that customers will no longer have to share their private Wi-Fi credentials with visitors, thus strengthening the security of their connection.
Another strong argument is that for the first time, Proximus and its supplier have joined forces to deliver a device with a circular design, which can be easily repaired and recycled. The new Internet Box, whose casing is made entirely of recycled plastic, reduces energy consumption by 24% compared to the previous generation. In addition, the activation of a standby mode when a device is not active in Wi-Fi 6 will extend battery life.
We know how important a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection is for our customers. We are therefore particularly pleased to innovate once again by introducing our first Internet Box Wi-Fi 6. This smart technology will allow Proximus customers to surf up to 40% faster, while reducing the time needed to connect their devices. What’s more, this new Wi-Fi standard will increase the coverage of Internet networks and significantly reduce energy consumption - a point that is particularly important to us. Our new repeaters and Internet boxes with Wi-Fi 6 and Mesh technology are initially integrated into the offers for new Flex Fiber customers, but will gradually be added to our other offers, so that all our customers can ultimately benefit from them.
