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DIGITAL SWITCHOVER

If you have been asking these questions Why can't I get Freeview? or Why can't I get Channel 5? then then the answer you are looking for is ... Digital Switchover! But what does it mean...? What will happen, why, and when?

We have digital tv already, so why is digital switchover happening?

All television is going digital because digital is much more efficient - it can offer more channels, widescereen pictures and even high definition. It is also less susceptible to reception problems like the ghosting and noise which can produce fuzzy pictures.

Current digital terrestrial ('Freeview') coverage is restricted by the need to prevent the digital services from interfering with the existing analogue pictures. Therefore digital coverage cannot be extended further until analogue is switched off. As this happens the power of the digital services from the main stations will be significantly increased and the analogue-only relay stations will become digital-only relays. These two factors wll fill in the current gaps in digital coverage. So, if you currently live in an area wih no digital terrestrial signals, you will get them after digital switchover.

When will it happen?

Thanks to the extensive publicity campaign I think most people now know that digital switchover is happening between 2007-2012. It is being done region by region according to the time table below. When each main station is switched it follows that all its dependant relays will also be switched at the same time. The exact timetable for each individual switchover will be likely to follow the pattern described here. Exact dates shown in the following table are the dates when the DSO process will complete each stage of the process. [Source: Digital UK]

DSO1 (START) DSO2 (FINISH)

STATION

REGION JOB DONE
  30-Mar-2005 Ferryside Wales
  14-Nov-2007 Whitehaven Borders
6-Nov-2008 20-Nov-2008 SELKIRK Borders
         
8-Apr-2009 22-Apr-2009 BEACON HILL SW England
6-May-2009 20-May-2009 STOCKLAND HILL SW England
18-Jun-2009 16-Jul-2009 Douglas Borders (Isle of Man)
24-Jun-2009 22-Jul-2009 CALDBECK Borders
1-Jul-2009 29-Jul-2009 HUNTSHAW CROSS PSB SW England
8-Jul-2009 5-Aug-2009 REDRUTH PSB SW England
12-Aug-2009 9-Sep-2009 CARADON HILL SW England
12-Aug-2009 9-Sep-2009 Kilvey Hill Wales
19-Aug-2009 16-Sep-2009 PRESELY Wales
26-Aug-2009 23-Sep-2009 CARMEL Wales
30-Sep-2009 HUNTSHAW CROSS COM SW England
30-Sep-2009 REDRUTH COM SW England
21-Aug-2009 18-Nov-2009 LLANDDONA Wales
28-Aug-2009 25-Nov-2009 MOEL-Y-PARC PSB Wales
2-Dec-2009 MOEL-Y-PARC COM Wales
4-Nov-2009 2-Dec-2009 WINTER HILL NW England
4-Nov-2009 3-Dec-2009 Long Mountain Wales
         
10-Feb-2010 10-Mar-2010 BLAENPLWYF Wales
3-Mar-2010 31-Mar-2010 WENVOE Wales
24-Mar-2010 7-Apr-2010 MENDIP W England
5-May-2010 19-May-2010 BRESSAY Scotland (Shetland)
12-May-2010 26-May-2010 KEELYLANG HILL Scotland (Orkney)
2-Jun-2010 16-Jun-2010 RUMSTER FOREST PSB Scotland
7-Jul-2010 21-Jul-2010 EITSHAL Scotland
14-Jul-2010 28-Jul-2010 SKRIAIG Scotland
4-Aug-2010 18-Aug-2010 ANGUS Scotland
1-Sep-2010 15-Sep-2010 DURRIS Scotland
8-Sep-2010 22-Sep-2010 Knock More Scotland
29-Sep-2009 RUMSTER FOREST COM Scotland
6-Oct-2010 20-Oct-2010 ROSEMARKIE Scotland
13-Oct-2010 27-Oct-2010 Torosay C Scotland
17-Nov-2010 FREMONT POINT Channel Islands
         
30-Mar-2011 WALTHAM Retune required E Midlands
13-Apr-2011 WALTHAM Retune required E Midlands
30-Mar-2011 13-Apr-2011 SANDY HEATH PSB E England
    The three commercial multiplexes at Sandy Heath will remain on their pre-switchover channels and powers for a period after digital switchover. SDN will then temporarily move to channel 31 during the August 2011, before adopting its final allocation of channel 51 in 2012. Arqiva A will temporarily move to channel 67 during August 2011 before adopting its final allocation of channel 52 in late 2011. Arqiva B will adopt its final allocation of channel 48 during September 2011.  
30-Mar-2011 13-Apr-2011 Nottingham Nottingham
06-Apr-2011 20-Apr-2011 RIDGE HILL W Midlands
06-Apr-2011 20-Apr-2011 THE WREKIN PSB W Midlands
   

After the PSB multiplexes switch at The Wrekin, the Arqiva multiplexes will remain on their pre-switchover frequencies and powers, and SDN will use a temporary frequency, for a short period before all three multiplexes adopt their final frequencies and powers during September 2011. During this transition period the commercial multiplexes will use the following frequencies: SDN ch49 and ch31, Arqiva A ch53, Arqiva B ch57.

 
06-Apr-2011 20-Apr-2011 Bromsgrove Bromsgrove
06-Apr-2011 20-Apr-2011 Lark Stoke PSB Stratford-upon-Avon
11-May-2011 25-May-2011 DARVEL C Scotland
11-May-2011 25-May-2011 ROSNEATH C Scotland
1-Jun-2011 15-Jun-2011 CRAIGKELLY C Scotland
8-JUN-2011 22-Jun-2011 BLACKHILL C Scotland
6-Jul-2011 20-Jul-2011 SUDBURY PSB E England
17-Aug-2011 WALTHAM Retune required E Midlands
3-Aug-2011 17-Aug-2011 BELMONT Lincolnshire
3-Aug-2011 17-Aug-2011 Olivers Mount Scarborough
10-Aug-2011 24-Aug-2011 Chesterfield Chesterfield
10-Aug-2011 24-Aug-2011 Sheffield Sheffield
31-Aug-2011 WALTHAM Retune required E Midlands
7-Sep-2011 21-Sep-2011 EMLEY MOOR Yorkshire
7-Sep-2011 21-Sep-2011 SUTTON COLDFIELD W Midlands
7-Sep-2011 21-Sep-2011 Fenton Stoke-on-Trent
14-Sep-2011 28-Sep-2011 OXFORD PSB S Midlands
14-Sep-2011 SANDY HEATH Retune required E England
14-Sep-2011 Hemel Hempstead Retune required N Herts
28-Sep-2011 Lark Stoke COM Stratford-upon-Avon
28-Sep-2011 THE WREKIN Retune required W Midlands
12-Oct-2011 WALTHAM Retune required E Midlands
19-Oct-2011 LONG MOUNTAIN Retune required Wales
19-Oct-2011 Llangynog Retune required Wales
16-Nov-2011 SUDBURY Retune required E England
09-Nov-2011 23-Nov-2011 TACOLNESTON E England
23-Nov-2011 SANDY HEATH Retune required E England
         
8-Feb-2012 22-Feb-2012 HANNINGTON PSB S England
29-Feb-2012 14-Mar-2012 MIDHURST S England
7-Mar-2012 21-Mar-2012 ROWRIDGE PSB S England
7-Mar-2012 21-Mar-2012 Whitehawk Hill Brighton
4-Apr-2012 18-Apr-2012 CRYSTAL PALACE London
18-Apr-2012 OXFORD COM S Midlands
4/18-Apr-2012 HANNINGTON COM S England
9-May-2012 SANDY HEATH Retune required E England  
30-May-2012 13-Jun-2012 HEATHFIELD S England  
30-May-2012 13-Jun-2012 Tunbridge Wells S England  
30-May-2012 13-Jun-2012 Hastings S England  
13-Jun-2012 27-Jun-2012 BLUEBELL HILL SE England  
13-Jun-2012 27-Jun-2012 DOVER SE England  
27-Jun-2012 SUDBURY COM E England  
12-Sep-2012 26-Sep-2012 CHATTON Tyne/Tees  
12-Sep-2012 26-Sep-2012 PONTOP PIKE Tyne/Tees  
12-Sep-2012 26-Sep-2012 BILSDALE Tyne/Tees  
10-Oct-2012 24-Oct-2012 LIMAVADY Ulster  
10-Oct-2012 24-Oct-2012 BROUGHER MOUNTAIN Ulster  
10-Oct-2012 24-Oct-2012 DIVIS Ulster  
 
Digital tv is available to 99% of the UK without subscription with a Freesat box.
Digital tv and HD are also available from Sky as part of a Sky subscription or for a one-off payment

Exact dates shown above are the dates at which Digital Switchover is scheduled for completion at each site. In most cases BBC2 will be switched off and replaced by the high power BBC-A multiplex two weeks prior to this date. (Source: Digital UK)

If you have heard that your local relay will not provide a digital service this is basically wrong. Almost all of the 1154 relay stations will provide at least three of the six digital multiplexes which make up the full digital terrestrial service. This will include Freeview HD. There will be a small handful of minor exceptions to this rule but in these cases other options are available.

What will we be able to receive?

After digital switchover there will be a total of six multiplexes. Each multiplex will carry a specific group of channels. Three of these will carry public service channels (e.g BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and Freeview HD services) and three will be commercial multiplexes carrying other stations.

The public service channels will be available from all the existing main stations and relays. This will mean that more than 98% of the UK population will be able to receive these channels.

The other three multiplexes carrying the additional commercial services will be available from the 80 sites which are (or were) transmitting the original low power DTT ('Freeview') service. The power at these sites has been (or will be) increased and the transmitting aerials improved and it is thought that at least 90% of the UK population will be able to receive them, though in some cases viewers may need to change their receiving aerials.

Will you need a new tv aerial?

These sites also have more information:

Your first port of call for information about Digital Switchover should be the UK Digital site. This has clear and simple information about what will happen and when.

Arqiva own and operate the transmitters on behalf of all the major UK broadcasters.
Arqiva

The Digital TV Group site is divided into sections with general news and information for both consumers and the industry

Their postcode checker for Freeview coverage is also thought by some to be the most realistic

The Freeview web site

There is also the government's Digital Television site created jointly by the DCMS (Dept. of Media, Culture and Sport) and the DTI (Dept. of Trade & Industry).

The Digital Television site FAQ

For those of you interested in more background details and reports check out the Ofcom site.
If you need a Freeview box try TVonics, who have a range of Freeview boxes and recorders including a new Freeview HD+ box with a recorder.

Will you need a new tv aerial? >

More technical facts and figures about DSO >

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