A first in Belgium: Proximus activates three 5G slices during the Red Devils' goodbye match
During the Red Devils' final international friendly against Tunisia, Proximus will simultaneously activate three 5G network slices at a single location for the first time. These three dedicated 5G slices will support three critical services in and around the King Baudouin Stadium: on-site medical assistance, media coverage of the match, and electronic payments. This marks the first time in Belgium that multiple slices are being used simultaneously in a live environment with tens of thousands of attendees. On Saturday, the King Baudouin Stadium will therefore host a technological first.
Network slicing is a key capability of the 5G network that enables the creation of multiple virtual networks on a single mobile infrastructure. This allows part of the network capacity to be reserved for critical applications, independent of regular data traffic. It can be compared to a highway divided into multiple virtual lanes. Certain lanes, or "slices", are not available to general traffic and can only be used by a specific service or application. Thanks to Proximus's 5G standalone network, which relies on a fully independent 5G core, this type of network slicing can now be deployed on a commercial scale.
One network, three applications
During the Red Devils' final friendly match before leaving for the World Cup, Proximus will provide three separate slices. The most critical slice is dedicated to medical assistance. This mission-critical slice keeps the UZ Brussels medical team on site in constant contact with the medical staff at the hospital, enabling them to monitor what is happening in the stadium and provide support to the medical team on site if necessary. Thanks to the connection through the mission-critical slice, the process remains secure and uninterrupted, even in conditions of heavy network traffic in and around the stadium.
The second 5G slice is dedicated to media coverage, in collaboration with DPG Media. A stable and reliable connection is essential to capture and broadcast the match without disruptions. Proximus therefore provides a broadcasting slice as a backup connection for the live broadcast. This ensures smooth coverage at all times.
A third 5G slice supports mobile payments. In an environment where hundreds of transactions take place simultaneously, this event-critical slice ensures that payments are processed smoothly and reliably, so football fans do not have to wait in line any longer than necessary.
Toward a flexible and intelligent network
Never before have three slices been used simultaneously at a single location in Belgium, particularly in the vicinity of a fully packed stadium with intense network traffic. By activating a mission-critical slice, a broadcasting slice, and an event-critical slice simultaneously, Proximus demonstrates its ability to manage and guarantee different priorities on a single network without compromising performance or reliability. This represents an important step toward a flexible and intelligent 5G network that can be tailored to specific needs and applications, even on a commercial scale.
When the Red Devils play, everything has to run smoothly, both on and off the pitch. With this first, we are demonstrating - for the first time in Belgium - how our 5G network can support and guarantee multiple critical applications, from medical assistance and live broadcasting to payments, all simultaneously and within a packed King Baudouin Stadium. As a proud partner of the Royal Belgian Football Association and sponsor of the Red Devils, we are strengthening Belgian football by providing technology and innovation that make a real difference for fans, players, and the organization alike.
