Private company

Broadnet Holdings BV

Broadnet Holdings BV ("Broadnet") was the holding company of the Broadnet group of companies with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Broadnet assembled a portfolio of national wireless broadband internet licences in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company offered its services to SME and Enterprise markets.2 It was founded in 1998.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

1998Founded1
  • Industrytelecommunications1
  • HeadquartersBrussels-Capital Region1
  • Websitebroadnet.net

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Broadnet Holdings BV ("Broadnet") was the holding company of the Broadnet group of companies with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Broadnet assembled a portfolio of national wireless broadband internet licences in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company offered its services to SME and Enterprise markets.2

The story

The genesis of Broadnet dates back to 1996, when Robert Condon and Declan Ganley began purchasing wireless spectrum licences through their company European Telecoms Holdings. In 1998, Comcast Corporation made a substantial investment in the company and Broadnet Holdings BV was formed. Following the Comcast investment, Comcast owned 62.5% of the firm

and European Telcoms Holdings (controlled by Condon and Ganley) owned the remaining 37.5%.

From Wikipedia’s article on Broadnet Holdings BV, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

Technology

The company provided wireless broadband internet services using wireless spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 28 GHz frequency band. The company deployed advanced wireless network systems manufactured by Lucent and Alcatel to establish point-to-point and point-to-multi-point wireless systems in major cities throughout Europe.

Operations

Broadnet launched operations in Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway and the Czech Republic. Some other markets had network infrastructure for regulatory purposes, but were never commercially launched.

From Wikipedia’s article on Broadnet Holdings BV, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Subsidiaries and ownership

Owners

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

By 2000 Broadnet had obtained spectrum licences in the UK, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal and Norway.

Broadnet established companies in other countries for the purpose of bidding for licences, but it was not always successful. Broadnet bid for a licence in Ireland but was beaten by Eircom. Broadnet sued the telecoms regulator that awarded the licences, but settled.

From Wikipedia’s article on Broadnet Holdings BV, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1998Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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