Big changes are coming for Belgian sports fans. Starting December 1, Telenet will pull the plug on its Play Sports channels for anyone still using older TV equipment. The company is speeding up its plan to move all customers onto its modern IP-based Telenet TV box — a move that’s shaking up how viewers in Belgium consume live sports.
From that day forward, Play Sports content will disappear from Digicorder, Digibox, and CI+ “TV with a card” devices. If you want to keep watching, you’ll need to switch to one of the newer options: the Telenet TV box (which runs over IPTV), the Play Sports mobile app, or the Telenet TV app. This isn’t just a small technical update — it’s part of a bigger strategy to fully retire the old cable-based boxes and get every digital TV customer using the new platform by the end of 2026.
Telenet’s new Android-based box takes center stage as the company’s key TV product. It’s designed not only to make watching easier but smarter. Users get access to handy extras like a 7-day catch-up library, cloud DVR recording, voice control, and built-in support for popular streaming services — all wrapped up in a smaller, energy-efficient device. In short, it does everything the old decoders did, and far more.
For Play Sports subscribers who already have the Telenet TV box, nothing changes — they can sit back and enjoy. But those still using Digicorder, Digibox, or CI+ have likely started receiving alerts through emails, billing messages, and on-screen notifications since October 1. Telenet is urging these customers to swap out their outdated hardware as soon as possible, with an easy step-by-step replacement guide on its website.
Here’s one part that might spark debate: Telenet won’t automatically stop billing Play Sports subscribers who do not migrate. The company justifies this by saying that affected customers can still access the content through the apps or by upgrading to the new TV box. Anyone who wants to cancel instead must handle that manually through customer service or the MyTelenet platform. And if you want to keep watching Play Sports on your living room TV but don’t have a smart TV that supports the app, you’ll need to get the Telenet IPTV EOS or Apollo TV box, along with an active Telenet internet subscription.
Behind the scenes, there’s more than just technology driving this shift. Telenet points to increasing pressure from sports content owners who are demanding tougher anti-piracy measures. The new IP-based TV box, they argue, is far better equipped to safeguard valuable sports rights and ensure a more secure, modern viewing experience — unlike the aging DVB-C decoders, which are gradually becoming obsolete.
By 2026, the old Digicorder and Digibox systems will fade out entirely. Interactive services, including the Telenet TV app and Replay TV, will also disappear from those legacy platforms. Even major entertainment bundles like Streamz, Play More, and Passion XL will only be accessible through the Telenet TV box by summer 2026.
But here’s where things get controversial. Is Telenet truly improving user experience and fighting piracy — or simply pushing customers toward more expensive, closed systems? Some viewers might see this as progress; others might feel cornered.
What do you think? Is this the future of connected TV, or just another example of a company forcing upgrades to maintain control over what — and how — you watch?