Brussels is set to begin the distribution of 5G signals from September as the necessary legislative work has been completed, according to reports from De Tijd and L'Echo on Saturday.

Major network operators such as Telenet-Base, Orange, and Proximus can now apply for licenses to operate 5G antennas through the Brussels Environment Agency. The operators have a timeframe of eight weeks to submit their applications, and it is reported that their applications are ready to be sent.

The initial focus will be on deploying 5G in the most densely populated areas. Once the necessary approvals are in place, the existing antennas will undergo a technical upgrade from 4G to 5G, which is a relatively simple process taking just a few days. The first 5G antennas in Brussels could be activated as early as September.

However, it may take up to another year to achieve full coverage across the entire capital. The region has set a limit of 14.5 volts per meter for the transmission power of the antennas, which means that more antennas will need to be installed on existing sites to meet the demand. Photo by Fabian Horst, Wikimedia commons.