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Smart TVs and internet-delivered television are changing how people reach video in the Netherlands and Belgium, but they have not made traditional TV packages obsolete. A connected TV can open apps directly, while IPTV is a way of delivering television over an internet connection; provider subscriptions and broadcaster apps therefore coexist. The adoption figures differ by country, year and measure, so they should not be read as a head-to-head scorecard.
What is IPTV, and how is it different from streaming?
IPTV means television delivered using internet protocol over a broadband network. It can carry scheduled, linear channels. Streaming is a broader term for video delivered over the internet; many streaming services focus on on-demand shows and films, but online services can also offer live content. The delivery route and whether a programme is live or on demand are separate questions.
The Dutch Media Authority distinguishes television viewing through television packages—including linear, advance and catch-up viewing—from online video, which includes streaming and catch-up services, pay-per-view and social media. Its 2025 survey was conducted online from 24 March to 6 April among 2,022 internet-connected Dutch residents aged 13 or older; the regulator says it used a representative sample and weighted frequency analyses.
A smart TV is a device category, not a delivery method. It can run broadcaster apps, subscription video apps, social video or a TV provider’s app. An external streaming device can add app access to a television whose built-in features are unsuitable or no longer meet the household’s needs.
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How common are connected TVs and home internet?
The available national estimates show connected TVs are common, but they come from different surveys and years. They do not establish a directly comparable adoption gap between the two countries.
| Country or benchmark | Measure | Figure and source |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Households with a television | About 95%; CIM Establishment Survey 2025, as reported by the Belgian CSA in 2026 |
| Belgium | Households with a connected television | 63%; CIM Establishment Survey 2025, as reported by the Belgian CSA in 2026 |
| Netherlands | Households with a smart TV | 71%; NMO Mediatrends 2024 |
| Belgium | Households with home internet | 94.62%; 2024 figure published by FOD Economie on a page updated in 2025 |
| Netherlands | Households with home internet | 99.04%; 2024 figure published by FOD Economie on a page updated in 2025 |
| European Union | Households with home internet | 94.09%; 2024 figure published by FOD Economie on a page updated in 2025 |
FOD Economie notes that a broader Belgian survey population produced a lower home-internet estimate. The household figures above should be understood in light of that survey-definition difference.
Do you need a TV subscription if you have a smart TV?
No—not simply to use the TV’s internet apps. You do need an internet connection for internet-delivered services, and some apps or programmes may require their own subscription, account or payment. A provider TV package may still be useful if it supplies channels, live viewing, replay or a familiar channel guide that the household wants.
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In Belgium, the CSA describes users accessing services directly over the internet without a distributor’s decoder. Its examples include Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, RTLplay and RTBF Auvio. Those examples show that direct app access is possible; they do not mean every app is available on every TV or in every market. In practice, check whether the specific services and programmes you want work on your device.
For Dutch or Belgian local channels, look for the broadcaster’s own app or website and check its live and catch-up catalogue, device support and any account or location requirements. The CSA specifically names RTBF Auvio and RTLplay as Belgian examples. Availability of an app does not by itself guarantee access to every channel or programme.
Are provider TV packages still important in the Netherlands?
Yes. Dutch provider TV subscriptions remain substantial alongside internet apps. The ACM’s Q4 2025 figures count subscriptions by network, not unique viewers or households:
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| Network or subscription category | Netherlands, Q4 2025 |
|---|---|
| Fibre TV subscriptions | 2.20 million |
| Cable TV subscriptions | 3.39 million |
| Digital TV subscriptions over copper | 810,000 |
These counts describe provider television over specified networks. They are not a measure of standalone streaming subscriptions or total video use. The ACM also counted 3.86 million bundles combining mobile and fixed services in the same release, but that figure is not a count of TV subscriptions.
Is Dutch television-channel viewing falling?
NMO reports that Dutch television-channel viewing averaged 118 minutes per day in 2025, compared with 130 minutes per day in 2024. NMO’s 2026 release notes that 2024 was a major sports year, including the European football championship and the Olympics. The comparison indicates a change in channel viewing, but it does not show that streaming caused the entire difference, and it does not measure all video watched on screens.
Can you watch TV without a decoder?
Often, if the broadcaster or service offers an app that supports your television or external device and the content you want is available through it. A decoder is still one route to a provider’s channel package; it is not a universal requirement for watching video on a television connected to the internet.
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- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
Before relying on apps instead of a decoder, check:
- Whether the channels and programmes you want are included, including local channels.
- Whether the service supports live viewing, replay and catch-up as needed.
- Whether the app runs on your TV or streaming device and remains supported.
- Whether a separate account, subscription or payment is required.
- Whether the household prefers a provider’s channel guide or app-by-app discovery.
The evidence available here does not compare current provider package prices or app catalogues. Check current terms directly before cancelling a package or changing a bundle.
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An external device may help if a TV lacks the apps you need, has an interface you do not want to use, or no longer receives suitable software support. It may be unnecessary if the TV’s built-in apps and interface already meet the household’s needs. Compare app availability, ongoing software support and ease of use rather than assuming that a connected TV needs an extra device.
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The Belgian CSA identifies Samsung, LG and TCL televisions, and Google TV, Apple TV and Fire TV devices, as examples in the connected-TV landscape. These examples are not a compatibility guarantee for any particular service or model.
What is changing beyond the screen?
The Belgian CSA argues that connected devices shift some discovery from distributor decoders to consumer-owned devices and manufacturer interfaces. It also says Belgian consumers are moving from triple-play bundles that include TV toward internet-and-mobile offers without TV, and raises concerns that connected-TV interfaces can affect local-service visibility and advertising value. These are the regulator’s market assessment and policy concerns, not measured proof that a particular interface causes a specific viewing or revenue outcome.
The CSA also reports that, in the CIM Establishment Survey 2025, 63% of baby boomers and 48% of Generation X respondents surveyed had never installed an additional streaming app on their connected TV. That finding is relevant to setup habits and default app visibility, but it should not be generalized beyond the survey population and wording.
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What the available figures cannot establish
There is no sound basis here for declaring IPTV the dominant TV reception method in either the Netherlands or Belgium. A European Commission report gives 2024 EU-wide primary reception shares—IPTV about 31%, cable about 25%, satellite about 24% and terrestrial television about 21%—but those are EU aggregates, not country estimates. Nor can Dutch network subscription totals be compared directly with Belgian connected-TV household estimates: one measures subscriptions by network, while the other measures household device presence.
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