Ziggo will stop using analog radio and switch to a digital signal. What are the consequences and how will you be able to listen to radio in the future?
Analog to digital
In 2021, Ziggo will phase out analog radio step by step. This reduction is done per region. Customers will be notified about this at least 5 weeks in advance. There is a good chance that you already listen to the radio digitally, because according to Ziggo, this concerns a small group of people who still listen to the radio analogously.
Digital radio has a number of advantages. The range of channels is larger than with analog radio and the sound is also clearer. Ziggo will stop using analog radio so that the bandwidth can be used for other things, such as faster internet.
Check if you’re still listening analog
Ziggo has set up a page on its own website to help with the switch to digital radio: Listen digitally to the best signal. There you can read how you can check whether you are still receiving analog radio. It goes like this:
- Check if your radio has, in addition to the power cable, another cable that goes into the wall socket.
- Is this the case? Then go to radio frequency 98.8. Do you hear a message there? If so, then you still have analog radio. If you don’t hear anything, your region will not be able to switch to digital until later.
Ways to listen digitally
There are several ways to listen to radio without an analog signal:
- Through the television. If you have digital television, you can also listen to the radio on TV. How that works depends on the connected media box. Of Ziggo’s step-by-step plan read how that goes. This is a free option. It does require some skill with setting.
- With an FM antenna. Ziggo customers can order a free antenna cable to order. The signal received goes through the ether or through the air. An easy and free option, but the quality of the signal is not equally good in every region.
- With a digital radio receiver. If you have poor reception with the antenna, you can also use Ziggo a digital receiver to order. This costs 50 euros. The device will be connected to the current stereo set. It is a more expensive option, but with good reception.
- Buy a new digital radio. Are you perhaps ready for a new radio? Numerous models are for sale through electronics stores and web shops.
- Via the Internet. Tens of thousands of stations from all over the world can be found online, including well-known stations such as Radio 1 to Radio 6, BNR, Radio 10 Q-Music or the regional radio stations. You can simply listen to these via the browser of your computer, tablet or smartphone. A nice and very extensive overview can be found at Radio Garden.