May 26, 2025

By Milind Pathak

Milind Pathak, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Proximus Global, considers the Proximus subsidiary a true ‘proficorn’ (a ‘profitable unicorn’: a profitable, private technology company with a valuation of more than one billion dollars, ed.). He explains how the combination of technological capabilities, commercial expertise and global presence optimally positions the international subsidiary of Proximus Group in a highly globalized digital economy.

In December last year, Proximus announced that it would bring all its activities outside Belgium under one flag. With a valuation of 3.1 billion euros, Proximus Global was created. This brought together three companies with different but complementary specializations into one powerful entity.

One of those companies is BICS, founded twenty years ago by Proximus and now a global player in international connectivity. BICS currently handles 50% of the world’s roaming data, via more than 500 direct connections, and now connects 150 million IoT devices.

A second pillar is Telesign, which was acquired in 2017. Telesign develops solutions for fraud protection and digital identity protection. The company checks more than 5 billion unique phone numbers every month, which represents half of the world’s mobile users.

Route Mobile, a digital communications platform that joined Proximus Group in 2023, offers companies solutions for business interactions and notifications via SMS, voice messages, WhatsApp or email.

‘By integrating these three companies into one global structure, Proximus has created a true ‘proficorn’,’ Pathak explains. ‘From its Belgian base, Proximus Global operates successfully in a fully globalised digital environment. An inspiring and unique story.’

Today’s companies are looking for partners with global expertise who can provide a personalized and reliable digital environment. We have all these qualities.
– Milind Pathak, Chief Marketing Officer of Proximus Global.

Growth as a driving force

According to Pathak, the creation of Proximus Global is primarily a strategic growth boost for the Belgian telecom operator, which is facing a saturated domestic market, strong economic headwinds and changing customer expectations—such as the shift from classic SMS to richer messaging channels. The international expansion also offers the opportunity to cash in on important investments in the rollout of 5G and fiber. “Although our sector is capital intensive, it generates a lot of value and innovation,” says Pathak. “Globally, telecom companies are increasingly transforming into technology companies.”

Proximus Global paves the way to broader communication ecosystems in new sectors and regions, driven by omnichannel strategies, increasingly dynamic customer expectations, increased connectivity needs and a heightened focus on data protection and regulation. ‘Today, companies are looking for partners with global expertise who can provide a personalized and reliable digital environment. We have all these qualities.’

Harnessing synergies

By combining the strengths of the three companies, Proximus Global offers an integrated range of digital communication solutions—an asset in a market where cross-border connectivity is becoming increasingly complex. “Our portfolio consists of more than 100 products and solutions, combining the technologies of our three subsidiaries,” Pathak emphasizes. For example, an SMS sent to the customer of an online travel agency to inform him of a flight delay uses Route Mobile’s personalized messaging solution, while BICS ensures fast and secure delivery via its international network. And an identity verification message when registering for a video game can be processed by Telesign and then sent via Route Mobile’s CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) platform, on the gamer’s favorite communication channel (email, SMS, WhatsApp).

Connect, Engage and Protect: The Power of End-to-End Solutions

The complementary strengths of the three entities make Proximus Global a fully-fledged supplier of end-to-end communication solutions. Through an extensive network of mobile network operators (MNOs), the company guarantees organizations and telecom operators worldwide high-quality communication and short response times. This ensures that customers abroad can connect to local networks without a physical SIM card or unexpected costs.

The global dimension also offers economies of scale and cost reduction to companies that want to send large volumes of messages with high delivery reliability and strict security.

Proximus Global already offers OTT (over-the-top) services to more than 3,500 companies and operators worldwide, reaching more than 5 billion subscribers and securing more than 180 billion transactions per year.
Milind Pathak, Chief Marketing Officer of Proximus Global

The end-to-end approach enables Proximus Global to generate unique insights from data. This leads to better data security and more personalized interactions between business customers and end users. ‘The enriched communication options make the interactions significantly more comfortable’, Pathak notes. ‘End customers can authenticate the brands they interact with, make purchases and contact customer service via a single messaging platform.’

Finally, Pathak underlines the innovation potential, market expansion and process optimization resulting from the integration of three technology companies with diverse geographical and technological backgrounds.

‘Proximus Global already provides OTT (over-the-top) services to more than 3,500 companies and operators worldwide, reaching more than 5 billion subscribers and securing more than 180 billion transactions per year,’ Pathak said.

Publication: De Tijd: Global ambitions for Proximus Global