{"id":6859,"date":"2026-07-13T13:34:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parte.be\/blog\/\/fiber-optic-cable-on-your-buildings-facade-is-it-simply-allowed\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T13:34:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:34:40","slug":"fiber-optic-cable-on-your-buildings-facade-is-it-simply-allowed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parte.be\/en\/blog\/technical\/fiber-optic-cable-on-your-buildings-facade-is-it-simply-allowed\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiber optic cable on your building’s facade: is it simply allowed?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Telecom operators and network companies are rolling out fiber optics across Belgium. This is good news for your internet speed, but it also raises questions. Suddenly, a new cable is hanging on the facade of your apartment building, and the only prior notice you might have seen was a note in the mailbox. Is this actually allowed? The short answer: yes, for the facade, it is. This is due to the so-called \"facade right.\" However, there are rules, and as soon as the cables enter the building, the situation changes. We have outlined the details for you. <\/p>\n\n

What is the facade right?<\/h5>\n\n

The facade right is established in Article 99 of the Law of March 21, 1991, concerning the reform of certain public economic enterprises, better known as the Telecom Act. This article grants every authorized operator of a public telecom network the right to attach cables, overhead lines, and associated equipment free of charge to walls and facades facing the public highway. <\/p>\n\n

In practice, this means three things:<\/p>\n\n

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  1. The operator does not require permission<\/strong> from the owner or the Owners Association to place a cable on the facade. In principle, you cannot refuse the installation itself. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. There is no compensation involved.<\/strong> The operator uses your facade free of charge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The cable remains the property of the operator<\/strong>, who also has the right to maintain it. The use of the facade does not imply a transfer of ownership: the facade remains the property of the co-owners. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    The facade right does not only apply to fiber optics. Coaxial cables, telephone lines, and associated boxes from any operator registered with the BIPT are also covered. Since the law does not limit the number of operators, it is perfectly possible for multiple cables from different companies to hang side by side. The fact that a cable is already present is not a valid reason to refuse a new one. <\/p>\n\n

    \"We knew nothing about it\": how the operator provides information<\/h5>\n\n

    The law requires the operator to provide advance information regarding where and how the work will be carried out, and to strive for an agreement on the execution. However, the law does not prescribe a strict format for this. In practice, the operator's contractor often simply places a letter or flyer in the street's mailboxes or posts a notice. In the case of an apartment building, this announcement usually reaches the residents rather than automatically reaching the Property Manager, even though the facade is a common area and the Owners Association is the owner. <\/p>\n\n

    Our advice is therefore simple: if you, as a resident or co-owner, receive such an announcement, please forward it to your Property Manager immediately. This allows them to consult with the operator on behalf of the Owners Association<\/a> regarding the route, the color of the cable, the placement of any boxes, and a neat finish. While you cannot refuse the installation itself, you do have a say in \"how\" it is done. <\/p>\n\n

    Disagreement with the execution<\/h5>\n\n

    If the Owners Association and the operator cannot agree on the method of installation, the operator must send a final proposal via registered mail with a clear description of the planned location and execution. Upon receipt, you have eight working days to submit a reasoned objection to the BIPT<\/a>, the federal telecom regulator. The operator may not proceed until the BIPT<\/a> has made a decision. Important: the objection must be thoroughly substantiated. \"I don't think it looks good\" is not sufficient. Furthermore, special rules apply to protected buildings and heritage sites, where installation may be refused or modified. <\/p>\n\n

    The facade remains the property of the Owners Association: what rights do you retain?<\/h5>\n\n

    The facade right is not an expropriation. The co-owners retain full use of their building: <\/p>\n\n

    Damage must be compensated.<\/strong> If the operator's contractor damages the facade during the works, the Owners Association can recover those damages from the operator.<\/p>\n\n

    Renovation, insulation, or remodeling is always permitted.<\/strong> Is the Owners Association planning facade works, such as new facade insulation or rendering? Notify the operator at least two months before the start of the works via registered mail. The operator must remove, move, or adjust the cables and supports that hinder the works at their own expense. However, the works must not have the sole purpose of getting rid of the cables. <\/p>\n\n

    Different rules apply inside the building: when does the Property Manager get involved?<\/h5>\n\n

    The facade right ends at the facade. If the operator wishes to lay cables in the common areas inside the building, such as vertical cabling via the stairwell or the technical shaft to the apartments, a separate notification procedure from apartment law applies: <\/p>\n\n