2023-12-27 16:44:00
”It’s crazy, but every time I come to Waterloo, I have a network problem. When I’m there and I have a call, I say be careful, it might cut out”. This sentence, among many others, echoes numerous questions from Waterloo residents.
Indeed, for Proximus customers, it regularly happens that they lack a mobile network or have their calls cut off. If the center of the commune of Lion seems to be the most impacted, this is also the case for other districts: “It’s complicated for everyone but also for merchants, who have to go through the network for payments”, informs us the First Alderman, Cédric Tumelaire (MR).
And even the municipal administration is impacted: “if I have to call the mayor or the police, sometimes it cuts out. Even here, I have the reflex to go to my office window when someone calls me”. However, the municipality has taken steps with Proximus for many years and even wants to be proactive with the operator, the alderman assures us.
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“The network is saturated because many Waterloo residents use it.”
Several reasons are given to explain this saturation of the network: “The network is saturated because many Waterloo residents use it. In addition, the infrastructure is aging and the operator shares part of its infrastructure with Orange. To make matters worse, a 5G antenna in Rhode-Saint-Genèse disrupts the transition between 4G and 5G for compatible phones.” On the other hand, customers of other operators would be fewer, and therefore the network is more stable for them.
Along the Ring, behind the town hall, at the rugby stadium, etc. There is no shortage of proposals for the installation of antennas, but the municipality is still awaiting the submission of a permit from Proximus: “I have been talking to them regarding it for three years to install a pylon behind the rugby stadium” .
“We are waiting for the ‘go’ from the municipality”
On the Proximus side, the operator informs that the network saturation problem is well known and even the budget has been released: “It is planned to install two pylons, we are waiting for the ‘go’ from the municipality to launch the procedures” , explains Haroun Fenaux, spokesperson for Proximus.
The operator says he has proposed several locations such as the Joli-Bois football field (but refused by the municipality), and other locations in Chenois. From now on, Proximus is passing the buck to local authorities. “The ball is in the court of the municipality”, which must come back with its own proposals.
Once an agreement has been reached with the municipality, Proximus will be “hit the ground running” and will quickly submit the permit to begin the antenna installation work as quickly as possible.
And the operator says reassuringly: “We are aware that we will find something”. But for this to happen, Waterloo and Proximus must find common ground…
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