Orange Belgium has signed a new four-year agreement with Zappware Entertainment Group International to continue developing and operating its television platform, with the operator adopting ZEGi’s NEXX5 technology and product roadmap.
The agreement extends a relationship dating back to 2014 and will support the next phase of Orange Belgium’s TV service across set-top boxes, smartphones, web browsers, Smart TVs and streaming devices.
ZEGi will provide ongoing platform development, new features and additional device support as Orange Belgium continues integrating conventional television with streaming and on-demand services.
Orange Belgium moves to NEXX5 platform
Under the renewed agreement, Orange Belgium will adopt ZEGi’s NEXX5 end-to-end television platform.
NEXX5 combines the customer-facing user interface with back-office middleware and service management capabilities, providing a common technology environment for delivering television services across multiple screens.
The platform supports conventional set-top boxes alongside Android TV devices, smartphones, tablets, connected TVs, web services and devices including Apple TV.
ZEGi operates the technology through a scalable multi-tenant back office, while Orange Belgium retains control over its branding and customer experience.
Platform combines live TV, streaming and apps
Among the capabilities included in the NEXX5 roadmap is ZEGi's “Worlds of Entertainment” concept.
The feature is designed to bring live television, on-demand programming, applications and other services together within branded content environments.
This reflects the changing role of operator TV platforms as customers increasingly move between linear channels, catch-up services, subscription streaming platforms and other digital content within the same viewing experience.
Orange Belgium's existing service has already expanded to include subscription video-on-demand and catch-up television, alongside integrations with Netflix, Disney+ and streaming platforms operated by local broadcasters.
Viewing insights target engagement and monetisation
NEXX5 also includes an insights engine that uses viewing behaviour to support customer engagement and loyalty initiatives.
ZEGi said the technology could additionally create new monetisation opportunities by providing greater insight into how audiences interact with content and services.
The source does not specify which new commercial models Orange Belgium intends to introduce using these capabilities.
For the operator, the analytics layer potentially provides another way to improve content discovery and personalise the television experience as the number of available services continues to increase.
Partnership dates back to Mobistar era
Orange Belgium first selected Zappware in 2014, when the operator was still known as Mobistar and was preparing to enter Belgium's fixed broadband and television market.
The companies have subsequently worked through several generations of the Orange TV platform.
Orange Belgium migrated to Zappware's own back-office environment in 2018 before moving to a cloud-based platform and a new generation of set-top boxes during 2021 and 2022.
According to ZEGi, both major migrations were completed without disrupting the live television service.
“When we chose Zappware in 2014, we chose a partner rather than just a supplier, and that decision has served us well for more than a decade,” said Orange Belgium CTO Philippe Toussaint.
“TV remains a cornerstone of our convergent offer, and we need a platform that keeps evolving as fast as our customers’ expectations.”
TV remains part of converged telecom strategy
The four-year renewal indicates that television continues to play a strategic role within Orange Belgium's broader converged connectivity proposition.
Rather than treating TV as a standalone linear service, the NEXX5 architecture is designed to provide a common experience across different devices and increasingly fragmented sources of entertainment.
ZEGi will showcase NEXX5 and its wider technology portfolio at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam from September 11 to 14.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
