Belgian telecom regulator BIPT has granted temporary 5G licences to Proximus, Cegeka, Entropia, Telenet and Orange Belgium.

Proximus, Cegeka, Entropia, Telenet and Orange Belgium received 40MHz of channel bandwidth each from BIPT.

The temporary 5G licences will remain valid until the 5G auction, delayed indefinitely in Belgium due to a disagreement between regional governments over proceedings.

Proximus, which is 53.5 percent owned by the Belgian government, on April 1 became the first mobile operator to launch 5G mobile network in the country, using spectrum in existing holdings.

However on April 14 municipal authorities in one of the first cities to receive the technology, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, said the operator paused its roll-out amid protests by citizens concerned by the health impact of 5G radio waves, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Proximus CEO Guillaume Boutin said: “We are in close contact with all concerned municipalities, and with the Walloon region.”

Guillaume Boutin said the company is increasing efforts to demystify environmental and health aspects of 5G.