Vodafone Deutschland ends carriage dispute with ZDF

Vodafone Deutschland has ended its carriage terms dispute with ZDF and has struck a long-term distribution partnership with the public broadcaster.

Vodafone and ZDF have been engaged in a long-running legal dispute, with litigation ongoing since 2012. According to the pair, the latest agreement sees that litigation “amicably settled by both parties”.

The pair said that they were working to ensure that content from ZDF’s media catalogue would be available on-demand to subscribers of Vodafone’s advanced TV platform Giga TV immediately after broadcast, via set-top, smartphone or tablet. The pair also said that ZDF’s news channel ZDFinfo would be available soon on the Giga TV platform in HD.

Thomas Bellut, managing director of ZDF, said that the agreement was “good news for the public” and that the broadcaster’s “extensive video library” would soon be available on the Vodafone platform.

Separately, Vodafone Deutschland sales chief Peter Walz has left the company as part of the telecom operator’s previously announced restructuring of its management.

Walz joined Vodafone Deutschland in 2000 after having Vodafone acquired German industrial conglomerate Mannesmann. Among other things, Walz led the company’s wholesale business to growth and re-launched its otelo brand. As head of strategy he initiated Vodafone’s investment in cable.

Following the acquisition of Kabel Deutschland, Walz was charge with integrating the sales divisions of the two companies. More recently, he was responsible for the launch of Vodafone’s Internet of Things offering.

Vodafone Deutschland CEO Hannes Ametsreiter said Vodafone had reason to be grateful to Walz for his outstanding contribution to the company’s success.