Unitymedia completes digital switchover

Liberty Global-owned German cable operator Unitymedia has completed the switch-off of its analogue TV services across the states in which it operates – North-Rhine Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse.

Unitymedia progressively shut down its analogue services in five phases over the last five weeks, starting in southern Baden-Württemberg and ending in North-Rhine Westphalia.

The move followed an extensive campaign to inform subscribers of the impending change, with media campaigns and roadshows in 30 cities across western Germany.

The cable operator plans to migrate digital channels to lower frequency spectrum from the end of August, while moving DOCSIS data channels to a higher frequency range. The operator says that the planned changes will optimise the quality of its digital TV signals. Subscribers will need to reset their set-tops to search for the new channel slots and update favourite lists.

Unitymedia said that its analogue switchover would open up space for more digital services, including new HD content and broadband services.

Unitymedia’s residential business chief Christian Hindennach said that the switchover had been completely smoothly, both from a technical perspective and in the way it was communicated to customers. He said that the change meant the operator would be able to provide its customers with “more digital channels, new digital services and Gigabit internet”.