Following the approval of the merger by the European Commission, Vodafone has commenced integrating its networks and products with Unitymedia in the German cable market.
As the first step, the more than 600 Vodafone and Unitymedia shops in federal states North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg served by Unitymedia’s cable network will offer joint fixed-line and mobile products from September 2, 2019.
Vodafone will inform Unitymedia customers about this with a personal welcome letter. This includes voucher codes for gifts such as mini Wi-Fi routers, additional data volume for mobile surfing and products combining Vodafone’s mobile network and Unitymedia’s fixed-line network at reduced prices.
Vodafone ADSL customers in the Unitymedia coverage area can also switch to a more powerful Unitymedia cable subscription at the same price as new customers, if available at the customer’s household.
Meanwhile, the analogue FM cable radio stations on Unitymedia’s network will remain available after the merger with Vodafone for the time being, a Unitymedia spokesman told Broadband TV News, one of the reasons being the comparatively low distribution of digital radio receivers.
However, the aim was to completely digitise the cable line-up in future, but no date has yet been set for this, said the spokesman. “We are in ongoing talks with our partners about this,” he added. “The free spectrum can then be used one day for the expansion of the internet upstream.”
Vodafone discontinued analogue cable radio carriage in the course of analogue TV switch-off, while Unitymedia continues offering its customers analogue FM radio stations in addition to the digital DVB-C cable radio portfolio.
