Dutch cable operator Ziggo is pulling the plug on its carriage of analog radio signals. The company is the last cable company in the Netherlands to offer analog radio as part of its service, but it is ending the service during the first quarter of 2022 to free up bandwidth.
According to Ziggo, only about 5% of its customers use its analog radio service. “In 2018, we started to discontinue the analog TV signal via cable, now it is analog radio’s turn,” the company wrote in its Dutch-language FAQ about the switchover.
To aid customers affected, Ziggo is offering a free FM antenna to replace the cable connection to their stereo system, or it suggests tuning digital radio stations via television or connecting a cable box to the stereo. The company is also offering for €50 (about $56) a DAB receiver that connects to an existing stereo system.
Ziggo carries more than 100 radio and audio channels via its television platform, including Dutch public and private stations, German and British public broadcasters, and German, French, and British international services.
Ziggo is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, serving nearly 4 million households.
