External Field Force (EFF): providing flexibility to Proximus for twenty years

We’ve taken care of home activations for Proximus ever since 2005. EFF is therefore one of our biggest and longest-running projects. It was and remains a growth engine for Circet, says Operations Director Tim Vervliet: “With EFF we show Proximus what we have to offer. It still opens a lot of doors.”

Autumn and winter: busy time for home activations

You may be surprised to know that home connections with activation (homes activated) are very seasonal. “From September to February, there’s a peak,” explains Tim. In a way, it makes sense. That’s when back-to-school campaigns resume. It’s getting colder and darker; people are staying indoors more and using their internet connection more. They buy a new laptop, a new TV set... Providers are offering year-end incentives. It’s the perfect time to switch internet providers. “In spring and summer there is actually much less demand.”

“Until the mid-2000s, Proximus entrusted its homes activated business solely to in-house employees. But this became harder and harder. In the winter they were far too busy, while in the summer they were much too idle. That’s why Proximus asked us for help. We started with about ten technicians, and we now have a team of more than 185 colleagues, internally at Circet and also through our partners. It’s one of our biggest projects and certainly our longest running. For more than twenty years, Proximus has relied on us for flexibility; they are still carrying out around 20% of the home activations with their own people.”

A driver for strong growth

“The EFF project is one of the drivers behind Circet’s strong growth. The former ESAS started out as a placement partner for IT profiles that we would post at companies, including Proximus. When they asked us for help with the home activations, we were just starting to cautiously develop some field activities. Proximus’s demand gave this new direction a huge boost and contributed to the growth and acquisitions that followed a number of years later.”

“It has also paved the way for the next step in our development: the infrastructure projects that have consolidated our position in recent years. People were needed to install the new fibre optic network, and thanks to this large critical mass, among other things, Proximus gave us the opportunity to prove ourselves. EFF is still so strategically important that it opens doors to other projects. Fifthnet, Fiberklaar, Proximus Explore, … they might not have come about without EFF.”

“By the way, EFF is a breeding ground for talent. Several EFF technicians who were there from the very beginning have since progressed to coaching, coordination, or management roles within Circet. Seniority is very high: some colleagues have been working on the EFF project for 18 years.”

From copper to fibre: smarter collaboration

Proximus still relies on Circet for homes activated. The switch from copper to fibre will once again ensure a great deal of job security in the coming years. “In Ghent and a number of other cities in East Flanders, we are now working on FIS – Fiber Indoor Splicing – in apartment buildings. We bring the fibre connection in the building to each individual apartment. It’s a great example of collaboration between different colleagues. This ensures that the end customer remains connected, even if the copper network is phased out by Proximus.”

Collaboration will also be the EFF’s main focus for 2026, adds Tim. “Fibre presents a major challenge for Proximus. The customer orders a fibre optic subscription, but very often there is no fibre optic connection all the way to the home. Proximus didn’t have that problem with copper, as it was already everywhere. In certain cases, a homes connected team must first be involved, and only later a homes activated team.”

“Ideally, everything should be done on the same day, because the more time passes, the more likely the customer is to cancel as he/she loses patience. It sounds simple, yet these are totally different domains of expertise and very different departments that need to perfectly coordinate their systems. But we succeeded: we ended January with 30% same day activations. All happy customers who only had to take one day off instead of two.”

 “We ended January with 30% same day activations. I am incredibly proud of that achievement.” 

– Tim Vervliet, Operations Director

“I am also incredibly proud of the entire EFF team. At Proximus we received congratulations from the highest level. We are a stable, reliable partner with excellent communication skills. We will maintain this level of excellence and reach 50% same-day activations as quickly as possible.”