| Digital Television Switchover – are you ready? |
In September 2005, the Government confirmed that digital switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012, ITV region by ITV region, starting in the Border region.
Digital switchover is the process of changing the UK’s television broadcasting to digital. Digital switchover will involve converting the current television broadcasting network, as well as encouraging everyone to convert or upgrade their TV and recording equipment to receive digital television.
Digital UK is an independent, not-for-profit organisation established by the broadcasting industry to lead the switchover programme. For more information about the detailed timetable and switching to digital television please visit www.digitaluk.co.uk. For queries relating to local, technical and reception issues you can contact Digital UK on 0845 6 50 50 50.
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Look for the Digital Tick Logo |
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| Why is digital switchover happening? |
Already just under 72% of UK households have chosen to go digital, as Digital TV offers more choice and a better quality viewing experience. The Government wants everyone to enjoy the benefits of digital TV and key to this is to ensure that everyone has a greater choice of affordable digital TV options.
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Today about 1 in 4 UK households cannot get the full range of digital TV services available free through an aerial, and 1 in 5 UK households can not get Five through their aerial. Access to these services will increase after digital switchover, so switchover will make it fairer for everyone. Digital switchover will also help the UK continue as a world leader in broadcasting. It will ensure that today’s ageing terrestrial broadcasting network is replaced by the best available technology, digital. The benefits of digital TV include increased choice of channels (including digital radio and channels such as BBC3, BBC4, Cbeebies, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV, E4, More4, Fim4) and enhanced/interactive services. In addition, switching off the analogue signal will free up spectrum that could be used for new innovations such as mobile TV (DVB-H), HDTV or wireless broadband.
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Freeview - A Free To Air Platform |
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| When will the Digital Switchover occur? |
The process of digital switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012, TV region by TV region. Switchover is a complicated process, and needs to be done in stages so that everyone in the country will be ready for it. The best way to check which TV region you are in is by seeing which ITV news service you receive or by going to Teletext page 106.
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Note: the Channel Islands are part of the UK's broadcasting network and will be switched over to digital in 2013. At present, digital TV via an aerial (Freeview) is not available there, due of the lack of available frequencies. |
Region |
Timetable |
| Border |
2008 |
| West Country, Granada |
2009 |
| Wales |
2009-2010 |
| West, STV North |
2010 |
| STV Central |
2010-2011 |
| Central, Yorkshire, Anglia |
2011 |
| Meridian, London, Tyne Tees, Ulster |
2012 |
| Channel Islands |
2013 |
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| What do I need to do? |
First, decide how you want to receive digital TV after switchover, including looking at whether your aerials will need to be upgraded; and finally, put plans in place that make sure you will be ready in good time for switchover in your area. |
| 1. How do you and your family use TV and recording equipment? |
| Points to consider: |
| If you want to use a video (VCR) or a DVD recorder to record one channel while watching another you will need a recorder that has an inbuilt digital tuner. |
| Any TVs that are used only for replay will continue to function as before. |
| 2. Decide how you want to receive digital television. |
It is not necessary to buy a new television set in order to receive digital TV, as all TVs can be converted with a set-top box. There are four ways to receive digital television and over 70% of households have already switched at least one TV to digital:
Through an aerial - Freeview (digital terrestrial television)
Digital television can be received through an aerial with the Freeview service. A compatible set-top digital box or a television with a built-in digital receiver (iDTV) will be needed. Some aerials will also need to be upgraded in order to receive the digital signal.
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| There is no subscription, however additional pay-TV services are available (Top Up TV).
Note that some areas will not receive digital terrestrial TV until after switchover: to find out if you are covered, use the postcode checker at digitaluk.
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| By satellite - Sky Digital, Freesat, Free-To-Air receiver |
| To receive digital satellite television, a compatible set-top box and satellite dish will need to be installed. There are both non-subscription and subscription options. |
| Cable TV |
Digital cable television can be installed in areas where cable companies operate. There are a range of subscription services.
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| Broadband TV |
| Broadband TV is only available in a few areas at the moment but is likely to become more widespread in the future, with a range of subscription services. Increasingly, video and television content is also available to download over the internet. |
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| Digital Television Multiplexes |
| The existing digital television network will be updated and improved, the existing digital multiplexes will change and will be divided into two sections, Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) and Commercial Broadcasting (COM). |
| Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) |
- Multiplex 1 will become PSB 1
- Multiplex 2 will become PSB 2
- Multiplex B will become PSB 3
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| Commercial Broadcasting (COM) |
- Multiplex A will become COM 4
- Multiplex C will become COM 5
- Multiplex D will become COM 6
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| The BBC has appointed Arqiva - NTL's former broadcast division - to develop and implement the new high-powered DTT network. The physical work on re-engineering elements of the network will commence during mid-2006, even though it will be 2008 before the first regions are switched over to digital. The scale of this project is enormous. Some 5,000 analogue transmitters on 1,150 sites will be removed and disposed of. The existing DTT system, comprising 500 transmitters, will be removed and replaced by 3,000 transmitters, to give near-national coverage. The capital cost to deliver the whole programme will be near £500m. |
| Other changes include the major UK transmitters being fitted with a reserve antenna, this will mean that repairs can be completed on the main antenna without turning off the signal. Some stations will also transmit the PSB multiplexes and the COM multiplexes from different antennae. |
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| Digital Radio |
| The present switchover plans are concerned only with television transmissions. At present, there are no plans to switch off analogue radio transmissions in the UK. |
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| Digital Links |
| Television |
| digitaluk Television in the UK is going digital, bringing us all more choice and new
services. Digital UK, the not-for-profit organisation set up by the public
service broadcasters, is here to help. |
Digital Television The Government’s website about digital switchover.
Here you will find information about why the Government wants everyone to switch to digital television and details work being carried out by the Government, Ofcom and Digital UK under the Digital Switchover Programme. |
| Digital Tick Website A special logo, known as the ‘digital tick’, has been developed as a certification mark to help consumers through switchover. Digital UK, the organisation tasked with managing and co-ordinating digital switchover, features the ‘digital tick’ in its marketing campaign and consumers are told to “look for the logo” when buying digital TV equipment. |
| Freeview We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to watch great TV for free. That's what Freeview is all about. All you have to do is buy either a digital box ,digital TV recorder or digital TV, and Freeview comes inside. It's simple, there are no strings attached and nothing to pay, ever. Just a nice warm welcome to free TV Land. |
| Sky Digital Subscription and free services available. |
| Top Up TV Subscription service available via digital terrestrial. |
| Tiscali Cable TV, Telephone & Broadband. |
| Virgin Media Cable TV, Telephone & Broadband. |
| WightCable Cable TV, Telephone & Broadband, Isle of Wight only. |
| Smallworld Cable TV, Telephone & Broadband, Ayrshire, Carlisle and Lancashire only. |
| Digital Radio |
| BBC Digital Radio Information on digital radio from the BBC. |
| Digital One Digital One is a joint venture, backed by GCap Media and Arqiva. It operates the largest DAB digital radio network in the world and is pioneering the role of digital radio in the commercial world. |
