Digital switchover

Between 2007 and 2012 analogue TV services in the UK will be switched off to make way for digital TV. If you currently only have analogue TV then you’ll need to switch to digital by the time your region’s transmitters are turned off. But, before you get ready to bin your current TV, read our guide to switching to digital - it’s easier than you probably think. It might seem pointless to lose our perfectly good analogue TV system but there are big benefits:

• Clearer picture
• A much bigger choice of basic standard channels i.e. more than the usual BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five
• A huge range of digital subscription channels to cater for all your interests e.g. Sky Movies for film fans
• Access to digital radio stations
• The ability to interact more with TV programs

If you already have digital TV then you don’t need to do anything. In fact, by the end of 2006 almost half of the UK’s TV sets had been converted to digital. But that means there are still 30 million TVs to be converted, and if you’re still watching your old analogue channels when the switchover happens in your region then you’ll be greeted with a blank screen. To ensure the UK is using the best technology possible then there will be no exceptions to this change – all the analogue transmitters will definitely be switched off by 2012. But this makes way for even stronger digital TV signals, to ensure that everyone in the country can get a great picture.

You have lots of options to ensure you’re prepared for the switchover, and they don’t need to cost a packet or involve lots of complicated equipment:

• Digital Satellite TV
• Digital cable TV
• Freeview digital TV
• Broadband internet TV

Make sure you read our article about what equipment you need before you throw out your TV – you really don’t need to!

Also remember that if you already receive digital television, when the switchover happens in your region you may be able to get services you couldn’t receive before.

To ensure as little disruption as possible analogue transmitters are being switched off one by one throughout the country. This means that when you need to become fully digital will depend on where you live in the country.

This map will give you a basic idea of when your area is switching over to digital. You will receive a specific date nearer your switchover time.

Source: digitaluk

The first area to switch is Whitehaven in Cumbria on the 17th October 2007. The 25,000 homes in this area have been chosen as a test before digital TV is rolled out throughout the UK. By 14th November all Whitehaven’s analogue channels with be turned off – if anyone in the area doesn’t have digital television by this point then they won’t be able to watch television at all.