Data sovereignty has moved to the top of the agenda. Across Europe, organisations are rethinking where their data is stored, who controls it and how dependent they want to be on global cloud providers. That shift is driven as much by geopolitics as by technology. At the same time, data traffic continues to surge, hybrid IT environments are becoming the norm. Countries like Belgium are evolving from transit hubs into full-fledged data ecosystems.

In such a shifting landscape, digital infrastructure is a strategic asset. Eurofiber operates a dense fibre network across Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany, with a clear ambition to expand further in these countries. Its model is intentionally ‘horizontal’: no bundled services, no vertical integration, but an open platform that gives customers and partners maximum freedom. Ivo Veerman (Sales Director), Daniel De Bondt (Partner Sales, Strategy & Development) and Jacqueline Vliem (Manager Marketing) outline how Eurofiber sees its role in tilting and expanding digital ecosystem.

How would you describe Eurofiber and the role you play for customers?

“Eurofiber deliberately positions itself as a digital infrastructure company rather than a traditional telecom operator. That strategic choice defines everything we do: we focus purely on fibre infrastructure and consciously avoid moving up the value chain into managed services.”

“That approach makes us a neutral and independent partner for a wide range of players from data centers and IT companies to enterprises that want full autonomy in how they design their connectivity. Our customer base is therefore predominantly B2B, with a strong presence in the enterprise segment and the public sector. We often operate in environments where performance, security and reliability are business-critical.”

What are your main differentiators in the connectivity market?

“What truly sets Eurofiber apart, is our open model. Customers and partners are free to decide how they build their solution and which partners they collaborate with. We don’t impose a stack or lock them into a predefined ecosystem. This openness is reflected in our portfolio. We offer everything from dark fibre to Ethernet, internet and optical services, allowing customers to choose the level of control that fits their needs.”

“Our starting point is never price, and price alone. We focus on quality and real customer needs. Topics such as security, latency and sustainability drive every conversation. Combined with our horizontal positioning (we provide the infrastructure layer while partners build on top) this creates a robust, yet flexible ecosystem.”

How do you manage your portfolio to meet changing customer needs?

“A good example of how we innovate, is our DCspine platform. DCspine connects key data centers and allows customers to establish connections in real time, reducing provisioning times from weeks or months to just minutes. Through that platform, our customers can create layer-2 connections, spin up internet services or establish cloud connections to major providers. It reflects the growing need for flexibility and speed in today’s IT environments.”

“We also continue to expand our footprint. That happens organically by connecting new customers and extending the network. At the same time, we expand through acquisitions and partnerships, as we recently did in Luxembourg. Scale remains a key factor in our strategy.”

What broader shifts do you see shaping demand for connectivity?

“Digitalisation continues to accelerate, but what stands out today is the increasing complexity of IT environments. Organisations are moving toward hybrid models, combining cloud, private infrastructure and multiple locations, which makes connectivity more critical than ever. One of the most important trends is data sovereignty. In a changing geopolitical context, organisations want more control over where their data resides and how it is governed. That is driving a renewed interest in local and European solutions, including private cloud environments and regional data centers. But there is more: Belgium is evolving from a transit country into a true data hub, with increasing data center density, more edge locations and a growing demand for proximity. All of this leads to a greater need for robust, flexible connectivity.”

How does your collaboration with LCL fit into that picture?

“The relationship between connectivity providers and data centers is fundamentally symbiotic. A data center without connectivity has no value, and connectivity without endpoints like data centers is equally meaningless. In that sense, we are natural extensions of each other. The combination of LCL’s carrier-neutral data centers and Eurofiber’s open, neutral network model creates an environment where customers benefit from maximum flexibility and choice. It is a partnership that is structurally aligned with how the market is evolving.”