Fun fact: Zoetermeer is the first city with cable television

Zoetermeer has a rich history with fun facts that we are happy to share with you in our Zoetermeer Then section. You don’t make it up, but the arrival of cable television originated in Zoetermeer.

Perhaps you are now on the couch watching a new series on Netflix or watching some videos on YouTube. Just over 40 years ago, watching television was a completely different happening. Fun fact: Zoetermeer played a very important role in the advent of cable television at the time.

Taste in Zoetermeer

In 1977 Zoetermeer was the expelled city to test the construction of a cable television network. Siemens built a television network in our city, in collaboration with the municipality, with no fewer than thirty new channels. This made Zoetermeer ready for the future for the reception of satellite images from several countries.

Scientist Chriet Titulaer made an episode of the television program De Wondere Wereld about it.

school tv

The channels Nederland 1 and 2, national and international channels reached our living rooms at the time. Reception of the thirty channels was possible, but this did not automatically mean that you could watch them all. With the arrival of the network, several communication options were added, such as local communication, teletext subtitles and information and school television. The schools used the channels by showing recorded video images in the lessons. .

In case of emergency

In addition to watching television and Teletext, the cable was also used as a means of communication in case of emergency. The fire and burglar alarm could be connected, as could a security system for the elderly. With a safety bracelet, the elderly could reach a control room in case of an emergency by sounding the alarm. The condition was that the television was turned on.