Belgacom
Belgacom Group is the name of a Belgian telecom group of companies. The headquarters of this major Belgian telecommunications company located in Brussels. The core of the Belgacom Group is the Belgacom NV / SA. For this purpose also includes the mobile operator Proximus (since 2006 ) and other specialized companies of the IT and telecommunications. With 53.51 % ownership interests of the Belgian government is still the majority shareholder of the former state-owned enterprise.
History
In 1930, the RTT (Director voor Telegraaf en Telefoon / Régie des Télégraphes et Téléphones ) was founded. She was the state-owned company ( Overheidsbedrijf / Établissement public) for telephone and telegraph services. She went in 1992 on Belgacom, which from the time an autonomous public company and in 1994 a joint-stock company ( Naamloze vennootschap / société anonyme) was. In the same year, Belgacom Proximus mobile network was put into operation. Proximus is one of the subsidiary Belgacom Mobile.
1996 sold the Belgian government 50 % minus one share of its shares of Belgacom NV / SA to the consortium ADSB Telecommunications. It consisted of Ameritech (SBC ), Tele Danmark, Singapore Telecom and the three Belgian financial institutions Sofina, Dexia and KBC. In 1998, the Belgian telecom market was liberalized and Belgacom launched the first ADSL broadband Internet connection in Belgium. Since 2004, Belgacom shares are traded on the stock exchange. The first tests of Belgacom in connection with the introduction of IPTV were carried out at several hundred households in 2004.
2005 surprised the Belgian telecom operator market, when he acquired the broadcasting rights to football for the first and second division for the next three seasons, through its subsidiary Skynet iMotions Activities. This action announces the imminent launch of Belgacom TV, which takes place in June 2005. This digital TV programs via ADSL is brand new in Belgium, Belgacom and makes the Quadruple player ( provider of television, broadband Internet, fixed -line and mobile telephony). Moreover, it allows the Belgian company, to develop new sources of income, as the profit margins in its core business, ie the fixed network are declining.
2005 was also the year of the public tender offer for Telindus, the leader in network integration. A first, deems to by the management of Telindus as a hostile takeover bid was submitted in September. Thus began a stock exchange saga, which lasted nearly four months. After submitted by France Telecom counteroffer Belgacom finally won the day.
2006 took over Belgacom Telindus and thus reinforced its ICT sector. Since 2006, Proximus is 100 % for Belgacom NV / SA, after 25 % of the shares of Vodafone were purchased. This allowed the company to further advance the integration of the individual business in the future. This was visible to the customers as early as 2007, after the Belgacom released their first package offer ( TV, broadband Internet, fixed -line and mobile telephony) on the market. The Telindus NV / SA is now marketed under the brand Telindus Belgacom ICT.
Since June 2008, part of the former Tele2 Holding Tango Belgacom, which also leads landline telephone and Internet services, as opposed to Proximus.
Espionage in 2013
In June 2013, due to the triggered by the revelations Edward Snowden surveillance and espionage Belgacom was an investigation of their systems in order. On September 16 of the year first test results were known, which had hacked into the networks of the Group since at least 2011 Unknown. The aim was primarily the subsidiary Belgacom International Carrier Services ( BICS ) have been the focus was on providing connections to the Middle East and Africa. Also, the parent company itself and the mobile subsidiary Proximus were affected. A particularly explosive is that international organizations based in Brussels as the EU or NATO are major customers of the companies concerned. Belgacom has now filed charges. Sources at the investigating prosecutor stated that the manner of implementation as well as the scope and complexity of the attack it reasonable to assume an intelligence as the author. This led the names of the NSA and the British GCHQ. The aim was not sabotage but rather the receipt of information. If the allegations are confirmed, it would be worth "of a government company attack on the integrity " of the Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo 's view as. He announced for this case, that of Belgium government would take " appropriate action ".
That same week another, based on documents Snowden information became public, which indicated that it was in fact the British intelligence agency GCHQ, which had the attack under the code name "Operation Socialist " was carried out, but using a method developed by the NSA technology.
Dismissal of CEO barking
On Friday, November 15, 2013 reported Belgian media that Didier barking, the longtime francophone CEO of Belgacom, which stands for several years in the passive corruption charges and had lost in recent months, the trust of the Francophone parties, federal of the government was dismissed without severance pay his position as CEO of Belgacom. The denial of a severance payment was justified by the fact that there were compelling reasons which necessitated a severance loose dismissal of the CEO. The Belgian State owns 53.5 percent majority shareholding in the company. Barking had suffered in recent months by condescending remarks about the Belgian State and in particular on the federal Prime Minister Elio di Rupo to the displeasure of the government. So he gave example about Prime Minister di Rupo public to the best that this was behaving " like a little child who think at the end only at the Nicholas ".
On November 16, 2013 reported Flemish media that the responsibilities of the CEO are now transitional taken jointly by the Executive Board member Ray Stewart and the Chairman Stefaan De Clerck until a new CEO is found. The American Ray Stewart is active in Topfunktionen Belgacom for 16 years and served as chief financial officer until now the number two behind CEO barking.
As the current Chairman, Stefaan De Clerck is a Dutch- Flame, the next CEO must be either francophone or another language speaking foreigners, however, shall not be after the Dutch- specific state language arithmetic. Also due to this absurd situation - the majority of Belgians Dutch language - suggested the Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders before, to the point where the proportion of the Belgian State on Belgacom, that the state would no longer be a majority shareholder in the future and Belgacom purely as a private company independent of political constellations could decide for themselves who take over the post of CEO.
Group structure
The Belgacom Group, composed of Belgacom NV / SA and its subsidiaries, is Belgium's largest telecommunications company.
The most important four branches of the company are:
- Fixed telephony services ( FLS)
- Mobile services ( MCS)
- International Carrier Services ( ICS )
- Information and Communication Technology ( ICT)
Fixed telephony services ( FLS) Belgacom NV / SA
These activities are mainly carried out by Belgacom NV / SA. They include a full range of voice, data transmission and Internet services over the landline in favor of private and professional customers. Belgacom NV / SA is the largest connectivity provider in Belgium.
List of the main services and brands:
- Landline telephony
- Internet broadband connections Belgacom ADSL ( that time under the name Skynet )
- Wi-Fi hot spots
- VoIP
- Belgacom Surf House
- 1207, 1234, 1307, 1405 ( hotlines )
Mobile services ( MCS) of Belgacom Mobile
→ See also: Proximus
These activities are, better known under the name Proximus, carried out by the subsidiary Belgacom Mobile. On the occasion of the purchase of 25 % stake in Vodafone Proximus Belgacom NV / SA since August 2006 is one of the mobile phone company 100% owned by the Belgacom Group. Proximus offers private and professional customers in Belgium on a wide range of mobile services.
List of the main services and brands:
- Mobile telephony ( Proximus )
- Mobile Internet GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
- Wi-Fi hot spots
International Carrier Services ( ICS ) of Belgacom ICS
Within the Belgacom Group, these activities are carried out by the subsidiary Belgacom ICS. Belgacom ICS is one of 72% of Belgacom NV / SA and 28% of the company, Swisscom ( Switzerland ) AG. Belgacom ICS provides telecommunications operators from around the world to capacity and connectivity services in voice and data area. Today Belgacom ICS is the world's eighth-largest provider in terms of voice traffic volume, and the world leader in signaling services for mobile operators.
Others
There are also services offered content in the field of information and communication technology (ICT ) and the Internet.
List of the main services and brands:
- Telindus Belgacom ICT
- Win
- Skynet ( At that time the ISP brand of Belgacom - Today only responsible for web content )