Underlying infrastructure due to rapid digital transformation more crucial than ever, also for SMEs
Zaventem, December 22, 2022 - Eurofiber, supplier of fiber connectivity for the corporate market, has the ambition to connect more than 140 Belgian business parks, or a potential of more than 9,000 large companies and SMEs, to dedicated fiber by 2023. Eurofiber then aims to increase this number fivefold in the coming years to connect about 700 Belgian business parks by 2025. Dedicated fiber offers all types of companies reliable and stable data traffic, with the flexibility and ability to grow. Combined with the support of a professional and open ecosystem of partners, Eurofiber wants to democratize dedicated fiber for the corporate market.
With a network of more than 61,500 kilometers of fiber in the Benelux, France and Germany and through partnerships such as with the Walloon SOFICO (Société wallonne de financement complémentaire des infrastructures), Eurofiber is already present today in many streets and business parks. By 2023, it plans to connect 91 additional business parks in Wallonia, in partnership with SOFICO. On the Flemish side, this involves connecting some 50 business parks, spread across Flanders.
For every type of business
The impact of accelerated digital transformation since the pandemic is making itself felt in both large companies and SMEs. "To fully utilize and optimize all their digital tools and cloud solutions, all types of companies today need reliable and stable connectivity. We go where our clients are with Eurofiber, and business parks have been underinvested for too long," says Hans Witdouck, CEO Eurofiber Belgium. "There is already huge investment in fiber to the home for consumers but it is the companies that have the greatest need for stable and quality connectivity. As the only dedicated fiber provider, we want to help not only large companies, but also SMEs to provide a future-proof network."
Dedicated fiber
A dedicated fiber connection offers a number of important advantages over a shared fiber connection, as is often offered in a standard all-in package from major telecom players. Due to the large data flows to and from the cloud, a classic shared Internet connection is no longer sufficient for many companies. With a dedicated fiber connection, a company has its own private path to the cloud and speed and bandwidth are guaranteed and adaptable to concrete needs in the transition to the cloud. Moreover, the speeds are symmetrical (the upload speed is equal to the download speed), an aspect often not valued but still important for organizations working in the cloud.
"For large companies, but certainly also for SMEs and fast-growing companies, a reliable and stable dedicated fiber connection provides the basis and the necessary space for sustainable growth," Witdouck continued.
Open network and ecosystem
Eurofiber's fiber-optic network is a completely open network. Moreover, Eurofiber only provides the fibre-optics, not services. To this end, it has built an ecosystem of partners, who can use the network as they see fit and consequently arrange connectivity over the fiber-optic network for their end clients as they see fit. "This is very efficient for SMEs. They can benefit from the expertise of our partner ecosystem for a customized plan for their cloud environment. So they can set up a future-proof cloud environment with the appropriate connectivity," Witdouck concluded.