The German media authorities aim for a coordinated approach by all industry players to establish a joint date for nationwide analogue switch-off on cable networks.
At their latest assembly in Saarbrücken, the media authorities agreed to bundle the different interests of TV broadcasters, cable operators, housing companies and media users and accompany them as a moderator to determine a joint switch-off date.
“It is important that analogue switch-off will take place nationwide on the same day and this has to be well prepared,” said Jürgen Brautmeier, chairman of the media authorities’ licencing and supervision commission ZAK.
“The transition from analogue to digital television will thereby take one of its last steps in the development towards full digitalisation. This would be a nice success for all participants,” said Brautmeier.
The association of German cable operators (ANGA) expects the requirements for the termination of analogue cable TV to be met by the end of 2018 at the latest.
Unitymedia will be the first large German cable operator to initiate the transition to a fully digital cable TV lineup by switching off several analogue channels on July 1, 2015.