German operators invest £240m in triple-play

Germany's cable operators are investing €357 million (£240m) in improving the country's digital infrastructure.

Kabel Deutschland, ish (NRW), iesy (Hessen) and Kabel Baden-Württemberg spent a total of €172m in 2004 and now plan a further €185m investment this year.

As a result, the number of households with access to the "triple play" of digital television, telephone and internet services will increase from 3.65 million to 4.1 million.

"Cable is still the backbone of the German media landscape and able, like no other infrastructure, to advance digitalisation in Germany and give the people unlimited access to modern media offerings," said Rüttger Keienburg, President of the German Cable Association.

The association is also calling for liberalisation of media law in the country, including demands for an adjustment of existing national regulations to EU law and more leeway for programmes.