14 July 2006
Ofcom has revealed the next steps necessary to keep the switchover to digital television on track.
It has reminded the government that it must establish a help scheme in order to assist those in the UK most likely to face difficulties as a result of the switchover, due to begin in 2008.
Government policy must also encourage manufacturers and retailers to develop and market a range of digital TV equipment, it said.
The company set up to oversee the switchover, Digital UK, has been told that it must provide regional information to consumers on when their local analogue signal will be switched off.
The changeover is to be done regionally, with the process staggered over four years.
Ofcom's directions come after it secured near-universal availability of digital terrestrial television - known as Freeview - by 2012, with an international signal agreement reached last week.
Along with other UK representatives, the regulator met with international partners in Geneva to broker the deal.
As a result, the UK has secured all the necessary transmitter sites to broadcast digital terrestrial channels to 98.5% of the UK, which is the same proportion that can currently receive an analogue signal.
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