▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁the ▁first ▁cable ▁network ▁operators ▁started ▁to ▁broadcast ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁radio ▁channels ▁to ▁households ▁via ▁cable . ▁One ▁of ▁these ▁cable ▁network ▁operators , ▁Red iff usion ▁S . A ., ▁which ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁transm itted ▁radio ▁program mes ▁via ▁wire ▁broadcast ing . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁Red iff usion ▁S . A . ▁broadcast ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁television ▁channels ▁from ▁the ▁U et li berg . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Red iff usion ▁and ▁other ▁independent ▁cable ▁network ▁companies ▁merged ▁to ▁form ▁C able com , ▁owned ▁by ▁S iem ens , ▁V E BA ▁and ▁Swiss com . ▁▁ ▁C able com ▁acquired ▁the ▁successful ▁Internet ▁service ▁provider ▁Swiss On line ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Over ▁the ▁following ▁years ▁the ▁cable ▁operator ▁grew ▁by ▁acqu iring ▁various ▁cable ▁network ▁companies ▁including , ▁for ▁instance , ▁Bal c ab ▁and ▁S itel . ▁These ▁take o vers ▁allowed ▁C able com ▁to ▁extend ▁its ▁network ▁in ▁further ▁parts ▁of ▁Switzerland ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁previous ▁own ers ▁of ▁C able com ▁sold ▁out ▁to ▁British - American ▁N TL ▁for ▁ 5 . 8 ▁billion ▁Swiss ▁fran cs . ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁that ▁followed , ▁oper ational ▁activities ▁were ▁sust ain ably ▁improved . ▁In ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁N TL ▁sold