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UPC cablecom unlocks DigitalTV basic

The times change, as it does in the internet (speeds, availability) and also TV.
While many cable service providers have a crypted basic cableTV service or
at least only viewable if you own hardware from the certain provider, here
in switzerland, the UPC cablecom is going to change things now.

From the beginning of 2013 onwards, the basic services (including a 2Mbit/s internet and 55 TV stations) are free of charge. If your home happens to have a line from cablecom for which you pay 25.25 swiss francs by now, then from this time onwards you will be able to get free internet and TV. Nearly 2 million homes are switched at once.

The only downside (if you can consider this to be one, honestly, is, that the effective costs for the line will be risen in three annual steps to 29.05 swiss francs.

I don’t see any disadvantage in this as you don’t have any additional costs and the TV line already has cost around 25 swiss francs these days.

However if you want to use special features like “Timeshift” and “Record and watch” then you’ll be forced to use a specific decoder from the provider.

All in all, the analog era ends with this change and only digital TV will come out of your wall outlet. This technique is called DVB-C by the way (for all those who wonder which type of DVB their TV must be capable of to receive the digital programme if they’re not using a freely provided converter)

Speaking of that I again have browsed local offers in Germany for a good friend of mine, as she switches home and needs a line. terrifying that lines still cost 50 Euros to be set up and you’re tied 24 months to that contract. So if you happen to get unemployed… well, tough luck!

I still wonder why there can’t be laws that you’re allowed to cancel a contract if you get unemployed for instance and aren’t able to provide payments properly or running into risk of getting into high poverty. Of course there are exceptions from providers who allow closure of contracts if a customer brigs up plausible arguments but better don’t count on them!

However it’s Switzerland again who shows other countries how to provide free service for a fair price to a wide publicum.

Maybe other countries who also claim to have a task to provide free access to information (hello Germany and GEZ!) will get an idea on how to do so efficiently. And be honest: With a net income of 7 billion euros, it should be possible to provide free TV and internet for all of the 90 million people living in Germany without raising the GEZ costs people have to pay for Radio/TV reception anyways!


October 16, 2012 Netspark - 1594 posts - Member since: May 9th, 2011 No Comments »

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