BELNET BELGISCH TELEMATICA ONDERZOEKNETWERK

Their core work

Belnet is Belgium's National Research and Education Network (NREN), providing high-speed internet connectivity and digital services to Belgian universities, research institutions, hospitals, and government agencies. Within H2020, Belnet contributes to the GÉANT pan-European research network infrastructure that interconnects NRENs across Europe, enabling researchers to share data and collaborate at scale. They also participate in intercontinental connectivity projects linking Europe with Latin America via submarine cable infrastructure.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Belnet's early H2020 involvement (2015-2016) centered on general research network operations through GN4-1 and GN4-2, with minimal keyword specificity — indicating a broad infrastructure maintenance role. From 2019 onward, their projects show sharper focus on secure networking, trust, multi-domain networking, and media services, reflecting the GÉANT network's maturation toward advanced, security-conscious services. The BELLA-S1 participation also signals a geographic expansion of scope beyond Europe.

Belnet is moving from basic connectivity provision toward secure, multi-domain network services and intercontinental research infrastructure — expect continued interest in trust, cybersecurity, and global research data exchange.

How they like to work

Belnet exclusively participates as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with NREN roles in large-scale infrastructure projects where coordination is handled by GÉANT Association or similar bodies. Their consortia are very large (40 unique partners across 38 countries), reflecting the multi-national nature of GÉANT where each country contributes its NREN. This makes them a reliable, low-friction infrastructure partner accustomed to operating within massive international collaborations.

Belnet has collaborated with 40 unique partners across 38 countries, almost entirely through the GÉANT consortium — one of the broadest geographic networks in H2020 research infrastructure. Their reach spans virtually all European countries plus connections to Latin America through BELLA.

What sets them apart

As Belgium's NREN, Belnet is the sole national gateway for Belgian research institutions to the GÉANT pan-European backbone — a position that cannot be replicated by commercial ISPs or other organizations. For any consortium needing Belgian research network access, data routing through Belgium, or NREN-level connectivity services, Belnet is the default and often only choice. Their BELLA involvement also positions them among the few European NRENs with transatlantic infrastructure experience.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GN4-3
  Largest EC contribution (€47,396) and most keyword-rich project, reflecting Belnet's deepening role in advanced GÉANT services including security and multi-domain networking.
• BELLA-S1
  Only non-GÉANT project — a transatlantic submarine cable initiative connecting European and Latin American research networks, showing geographic ambition beyond Europe.