Vodafone Germany to launch 4K next year, intros fixed-mobile bundles with KD

Vodafone Germany plans to launch a 4K TV offering to its subscribers in the first half of net year and is collaborating with Cisco to develop a 4K-capable set-top. 

The set-top box, based on Cisco’s Videoscape and MediaHighway platforms, will be available as part of Vodafone’s hybrid TV platform, for which Cisco has been a principal technology partner since its launch in 2010. The box, dubbed the Vodafone TV Centre, will be demonstrated at the IFA consumer electronics trade fair in Berlin and at Cisco’s stand at next week’s IBC in Amsterdam.

“The adoption of 4K has been a point of discussion in the industry for a number of years, and we are delighted to be working with Vodafone to move it from a theoretical discussion to reality whilst enabling their subscribers to benefit from even greater quality viewing. This deployment marks yet another first for Vodafone in Germany, who remain at the forefront of IPTV innovation,” said Yves Padrines, vice-president, service provider video, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Russia, Cisco.

Vodafone will also use IFA to highlight its LTE Broadcast trial. The company revealed in February that it was working with Ericsson on LTE Broadcast.

Separately, Vodafone Germany has said it will launch a new all-in-one bundle in the autumn, combined fixed and high-speed LTE services, combining its own network with that of cable unit Kabel Deutschland. The bundled offering will include up to 100Mbps fixed internet access where cable is available, while it will offer a mix of 100Mbps and 50Mbps  on its own network via vectoring. The bundle will include 1.5GB of mobile data and flat-rate voice and SMS. Customer will pay €59 for the first 12 months and €79 thereafter.

Vodafone also said it plans to launch high-speed LTE services in another 50 cities, offering speeds of 225Mbps, while Kabel Deutschland will have 200Mbps fixed internet services available to three million homes by mid-2015.