Switch-off of all analogue satellite transmissions of German TV channels is now officially scheduled on April 30, 2012, and requires “foresighted behavior of all involved“, according to Jörg-Peter Jost, member of the executive board of the Platform.
Under Jost´s management, the measures and milestones are defined in this roadmap with regards to digital satellite transmission over the Astra satellites. The interactions with the digitalisation of the cable households are also analysed and suitable steps towards the increase of the use of digital channel offers by the cable households suggested.
According to the the Digitalisation Report 2009 of the Commission for admittance and supervision (ZAK) of the federal media authorities, 55% of all German households already have access to digital television. Of these, satellite households have the greatest share, with 75% receiving TV digital. About four million analogous satellite households still depend on analogue reception.
Of the approximately 19 million cable customers, one in three have access to digital TV. Cable operators continue to distribute analogue signals because many cable households still value the comfort of analogue reception.