Starting today, in one go, Ziggo offers super-fast internet with download speeds up to 1gigabit per second in 117 villages and cities spread across the entire Netherlands. This includes, among others, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Zoetermeer and Ede-Wageningen.

It is the largest Gigabit roll-out of this year with almost 700,000 connections to households and companies.The total amountof fixed gigabit connections to the GigaNet now reaches around 3 million.Of course, this roll-out will be continued in 2021.

"This largest rollout of super-fast internet in 2020 is entirely in line with VodafoneZiggo's ambition to prepare the Netherlands for the digital future," according to Jeroen Hoencamp, CEO of VodafoneZiggo. "Under the name GigaNet, the powerful network of Vodafone and Ziggo, we annually invest hundreds of millions in a stable, innovative and secure network. 'Gigging without digging' is a key part of this. By making our network suitable for a gigabit, it’s not only customers who opt for the fastest internet speed that benefit. All connected customers also automatically benefit from a faster and more stable network connection without having to do anything."

Ready for the future
With last night's roll-out in 117 villages and cities, it is now possible for customers in the following regions to experience download speeds of up to a gigabit per second (alphabetical): Arnhem, Barendrecht, Berkel en Rodenrijs, Brielle, Capelle aan den IJssel, Ede-Wageningen, Hoeksche Waard, Houten, Leerdam, Lekkerkerk, Lopik, Maarssen, Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel, Nijmegen, municipality of Nissewaard, Oostvoorne, Papendrecht, Ridderkerk, municipality of Ronde Venen, Sliedrecht, Sommelsdijk, Stellendam, Woerden, Zoetermeer and Zwijndrecht. The complete overview of the new giga-villages and cities can be found at the bottom.

Fast Internet, anywhere, anytime
In one go, 700,000 households and business premises in the aforementioned locations were connected to Ziggo's existing fixed gigabit network. Together with the regions that were already activated, Utrecht, Hilversum, Den Haag, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, this brings Ziggo to around 3 million fixed connections to the gigabit network by the end of this year. As a result, Ziggo makes an important contribution to the digital infrastructure in the Netherlands and the government’s ambition to have ‘fast internet, anywhere, anytime’. The aim of this programme is for the Netherlands to belong to the digital world top in 2023, whereby every household has an internet connection of at least 100 Mbps (www.overalsnelinternet.nl/over-ons).

Nijmegen Digital Ambition
Alderman Bert Velthuis from the municipality of Nijmegen illustrates this digital ambition for his inhabitants as follows: “It’s great that Ziggo now offers super-fast internet in Nijmegen. Corona has taught us that a stable network is of the utmost importance. It also complements the ambition of the Netherlands to offer at least 100 Mbps fast internet to every household. Therefore, we are very happy that all Nijmegen inhabitants now have access to this faster and more stable network.”

Network investments
Recently, the cable network in these 117 cities was technically prepared for gigabit internet. Ziggo technicians installed more than 1,000,000 new connectors at home connections and replaced more than 95,000 connection cables in more than 55,000 street cabinets. All together, in excess of 100 kilometres of new network cabling in street cabinets and local exchanges. And all of this with no digging involved. As a result of all these innovations, Ziggo will switch on entire cities or regions at once, instead of high-speed internet being available on a street or neighbourhood basis. These investments do not only provide access to the network with higher speeds, but also increase the quality and stability for all customers in these areas.

97% signal via fibre optic cables
Ziggo combines glass fibre and coax in its ‘hybrid’ fixed network. An average of 97% of the route taken by the internet signal from, for example, a TV studio to a house connection runs through the Ziggo network via glass fibre. Only the last part, from the neighbourhood to the living room, goes via coaxial cable. Ziggo applies DOCSIS 3.1 technology to this coaxial part, which already allows fast internet speeds with a download speed of up to 1 Gbps. This technology ensures that speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second will become possible within a few years. Upload speeds will also increase in due course.

GIGA subscription
Ziggo’s new form of subscription, ‘GIGA’, is available for private persons and the business market. Ziggo's new 'GIGA' subscription for consumers includes: internet up to 1 Gbps download and 50 Mbps upload, the most comprehensive television channel package via the interactive Mediabox Next, Ziggo Movies & Series (Home or HBO), Ziggo Sport, Ziggo GO app and a fixed telephone connection. For more information on the business giga-package, please visit www.ziggo.nl/zakelijk

Read more about GigaNet, the powerful network of Vodafone and Ziggo.