Vodafone Deutschland has begun a large-scale restructuring of the frequencies used to transmit digital TV and radio signals on its cable network.
The move is designed to create a uniform spectrum nationwide and to free up capacity for faster broadband speeds across the company’s German cable network.
The technical upgrade, which is already complete in Krefeld, Böblingen, Hürth and Bünde, will gradually be rolled out to 400 additional cities and municipalities over the next 11 months, covering 8.6 million TV connections. Vodafone expects the project to be completed by mid-2026.
“By reorganising the spectrum, we are creating room for the future and expanding what we can do with our nationwide cable fibre network,” said Tanja Richter, Chief Technology Officer of Vodafone Deutschland. “At the same time, we are introducing the NorDig-LCN standard, which makes the transition much easier for our customers. In many households, the manual channel search the next morning will now be a thing of the past.”
The NorDig-LCN system automatically reassigns channels to logical programme numbers when frequencies are changed. Supported receivers – including Vodafone, Unitymedia and Sky devices – will update channels automatically, avoiding the need for manual retuning or re-sorting of favourites lists. Some older TV sets and receivers, however, may still require a manual search.
Alongside the frequency reallocation, Vodafone is also switching the compression format for SD channels to H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC), which is already used for HD broadcasting.
The company advises customers not to unplug their receivers or cable routers overnight during the migration process. Depending on the device, users may need to reprogramme recordings or adjust favourites lists once the update is complete.
The reorganisation also helps prepare Vodafone’s cable network for higher internet speeds. By standardising the frequency allocation nationwide, the operator aims to improve overall performance of TV, telephony and broadband services.
Vodafone is notifying customers in advance by letter, email and local notices, and is publishing all dates and detailed information online on a dedicated website.
