German cable operator association ANGA has called for the legislator to ensure the termination of analogue TV broadcasting at the end of 2019 at the latest.
“Until the end of 2019, most network operators will probably have discontinued analogue TV distribution; Unitymedia already commences switch-off this week,” ANGA President Thomas Braun said at the occasion of trade fair ANGA COM 2017 which will open its doors tomorrow.
“To create legal certainty for network operators and customers, the market-driven transition should be flanked by a legal ruling determining the latest possible switch-off date,” added Braun.
An important factor as part of the transition is uniform communication towards customers and market partners, underlines ANGA. The association welcomes that the media authorities accompany this communication process and engages in the media authorities’ round table regarding analogue to digital transition on cable.
Cable is the last remaining analogue TV broadcast infrastructure in Germany. The country’s second-largest cable operator Unitymedia will commence analogue switch-off on June 1, 2017. The largest market player, Vodafone, and third-largest operator Tele Columbus have not yet announced analogue switch-off plans.