Telenet Internet Complaints Double as Customers Face Weeks of Disruptions
Complaints about Telenet internet services have more than doubled in the first five months of 2026, with customers across Flanders reporting severe, weeks-long disruptions that have made remote work impossible and rendered television services unusable during peak evening hours. The Ombudsdienst voor Telecommunicatie recorded 291 complaints about internet outages — a 29% increase year-over-year — and 211 complaints about bundled telecom services, representing a 120% surge compared to the same period last year, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
Widespread Service Failures
Affected customers report that internet speeds collapse during evening hours, with download speeds plummeting from 500 Mbps to as low as 15 Mbps. The problems are concentrated in multiple locations across Flanders, including Zaventem, Antwerp, Tielt, Haaltert, Diest, and Eeklo.
Ronny Celis (64), a former Ford Genk employee and volunteer firefighter from Kaggevinne in Diest, told HLN consumer expert Safia Yachou that he has experienced internet problems for nearly two months. “Now I still have internet to prepare my lessons, but it often falters. In the evenings it’s a drama and everything stops,” he said. His partner, who requires a secure platform for her work at a financial institution, has been forced to commute daily to Brussels instead of working from home. “That’s no way to live, especially since we’ve been customers for 20 years,” Celis added.
Heinz Vanderhoydonck (60), an early retired military serviceman, reported that his download speed drops from 500 to 15 Mbps in the evenings despite paying €155 per month. The poor connectivity has even affected his smart home devices, with motorized roller shutters malfunctioning due to the unstable internet connection.
Aging Infrastructure at the Root
Luc Tuerlinckx, the Ombudsman for Telecommunications, confirmed the sharp increase in complaints and attributed the problems largely to work on Telenet’s aging coaxial network, which carries both television and internet signals. “When they work on that network, outages sometimes take longer than expected,” he said. The ombudsman noted that customer frustration stems not only from the outages themselves but from poor follow-up and a lack of concrete information about resolution timelines.
Telenet spokesperson Vanessa Zwaelens acknowledged the regional network problems and cited several contributing factors. “Currently, more infrastructure works are taking place than usual, such as the rollout of fiber optics and work by other utility companies,” she said. The company also noted that weather conditions — particularly heat and temperature fluctuations — can worsen outages where network quality is already poor. Telenet stated it is working closely with infrastructure company Wyre to resolve the issues but could not provide a concrete timeline for fixes.
Compensation Challenges
Under Belgian law, customers are entitled to compensation of €1 per day for telecom outages, but the ombudsman noted that the current situation presents complications. The intermittent nature of the service degradation — where speeds drop significantly but connections are not completely severed for eight consecutive hours — makes it difficult to qualify for statutory compensation. However, Tuerlinckx noted that Telenet often provides commercial compensation once problems are resolved, which can exceed legal requirements.
Broader Context of Customer Dissatisfaction
The service reliability crisis comes amid a turbulent period for Telenet. In April 2026, the company eliminated its cheapest €36-per-month internet plan, replacing it with a €56 option — a 56% increase. Belgian Minister of Consumer Protection Rob Beenders (Vooruit) launched an investigation into the price hike, stating that “the consumer is not a cash cow” and calling for explanations in a country that already ranks among Europe’s most expensive for telecom services. The company also faced a security incident in March 2026 where customers could briefly access other users’ accounts after logging in.
What’s Next
With complaints continuing to rise and no concrete timeline for network improvements, Telenet faces mounting pressure from both customers and regulators. The ombudsman has suggested that Telenet could offer temporary solutions such as “databoosts” on mobile subscriptions, allowing customers to use 4G or 5G hotspots while fixed-line issues persist. As the company navigates the transition from its aging coaxial network to fiber infrastructure, the coming months will be critical in determining whether it can restore customer confidence or face further regulatory scrutiny and customer attrition.