Despite concern among some consumers, Dutch cable operator CAIW will go ahead with its planned complete analogue switch-off on October 10th (10-10-10). Already more than 90% of its installed base has been upgraded to digital, according to CEO Aart Verbree.
A committee called Pro-Analoog has asked the cabler to continue to distribute analogue signals. Also, the city of Schiedam, which is served by CAIW, has asked the cabler for clarification. However, Verbree said the digital switchover will not be postponed, pointing out to a number of measures the operator has taken to ease the transition.
Last November, In preparation of its total analogue shutdown, CAIW reduced the number of basic analogue channels to 15. In addition, it added a basic digital bouquet of 21 channels in DVB-T on the network, which are available unencrypted (see Broadband TV News passim).
Last Feburary, CAIW has started selling a special DVB-T plug-in tuner in order to prepare viewers for the upcoming analogue cable switch-off. The tuner costs €19.90 and can be used with any TV set with a SCART connection on the back. This solution is suitbale for the remaining analogue households, as well as for additional TV sets in the home. (See earlier report in BTN)
CAIW serves about 145,000 households with television and radio in Westland, Midden-Delfland, Schiedam, Maassluis, Aalsmeer, Uithoorn, IJsselstein, Lopik (Benschop), Halderberge (Oudenbosch), The Hague (Wateringse Veld), Doorn, parts of Capelle aan den IJssel, Loenen, Hilvarenbeek and Gouda.
