Several users reported widespread internet and television outages across Belgium on Wednesday evening, affecting fixed and mobile networks operated by Orange Belgium (EBR: OBEL).
Disruptions Hit Fixed-Line and Mobile Services
- Fixed-line and mobile services experienced disruptions starting around 18:00 on November 11, 2026.
- Downdetector and regional monitoring platforms registered major spikes in complaints across Charleroi, Liège, Namur, and Brussels.
- The telecom operator confirmed the disturbances via a public statement issued at approximately 21:00 on the same day.
Network Disruptions Hit Subscribers Across Regions
The service interruptions began impacting customers during the early evening hours on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Subscribers across multiple regions, including Mons, Soignies, Lessines, Hermeton-sur-Meuse, and Chaudfontaine, contacted customer alert channels regarding sudden connection drops, as Sudinfo reported.
Monitoring data from Downdetector and Pannes.be confirmed a sharp rise in user complaints starting around 18:00, with Pannes.be registering a “panne majeure” with warnings coming mainly from Charleroi, Liège, and Namur. Users reported simultaneous failures affecting both home broadband and digital television services, while mobile data connections also suffered intermittent slowdowns.
One subscriber from Brussels suggested a potential link to network traffic spikes caused by the pre-download phase of the upcoming title Grand Theft Auto VI. Another customer, Eric from Mons, questioned whether the incident constituted a nationwide blackout, while Philippe, another reader, said that they had experienced internet and TV problems since approximately 18:00.
Orange Belgium Issues Official Statement Regarding Service Disturbances
Following hours of customer complaints without immediate technical explanations, Orange Belgium issued an official statement at approximately 21:00 on Wednesday, November 11. “Nos services d’internet, tv et mobile rencontrent actuellement des perturbations,” the operator said, as Le Soir noted.
“Nos équipes sont à pied d’oeuvre pour rétablir la situation dans les plus brefs délais. Merci pour votre compréhension,” added the company in its official communication.
| Timestamp (CET) | Event / Milestone | Source / Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 18:00 | Initial user complaints spike for internet and TV services | Downdetector / Pannes.be |
| 21:00 | Official operator confirmation and remediation status published | Orange Belgium Communiqué |
| 21:52 | Continued user frustration documented regarding lack of initial clarity | Sudinfo Reader Comments |
Internet Outages Cause Significant Consumer Frustration
Investigations into cyberattacks explore several tracks, and when clients approach the mediation service with internet outages, one of their primary demands is to recover service and continue using the internet, according to David Wiame. The Ombudsman service said that an interruption lasting eight to ten days is particularly problematic, and such disruptions become increasingly penalizing in a society where networks are indispensable for work, school, administrative procedures, and daily services.
In 2025, the Telecommunications Mediation Service received approximately 15,000 complaints, of which roughly 15 percent involved internet-related disturbances, amounting to between 3,000 and 4,000 files. David Wiame described certain compensation sums as “parfois dérisoire au regard des conséquences réelles pour certains professionnels,” while noting that the mediation service can intervene to seek more appropriate compensation for suffered damages.
