Digital Switchover FAQ

You probably have lots of questions about the digital switchover so we have provided some of the most frequently asked questions here and some answers. If your question or answer is not detailed below, please feel free to contact us for more information.

Q: What is the digital switchover and why is it happening?

A: Television in the UK is changing from the current analogue system to digital transmission only. This means that unless you adjust your television to receive digital signals you will not get any TV channels in future. This is called digital switchover. It will happen between 2008 and 2012. You still have plenty of time to switch to digital viewing, however about 66 per cent of UK households already use digital television. Digital switchover is the conversion of television broadcasting from analogue to digital. It will take place region by region between 2008 and 2012. After the switch in your region, you'll need to convert or upgrade every TV set you continue to watch.

After switchover, as well as the current channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Five), you'll have an added choice of digital channels including BBC 3, BBC 4, ITV2, ITV3, E4, More4, CBBC, Cbeebies and BBC News 24.

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Q: I live in Barrow, can I have an aerial and view Freeview or Digital on my TV?

A: Yes, the digital signal is already available throughout most of the UK even though the switchover is not yet complete and this is available with an aerial in Barrow. You will need to have a Freeview set top box or Digital or Freeview integrated into your TV to get the most out of your Digital Aerial as the aerial is not very compatible with television sets that are not converted to receive the digital channels. A Freeview set top box can be purchased for as little as £15.00 and is usually connected via a scart lead so you need to ensure that your TV has a scart connection socket.

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Q: Why is switchover happening?

A: The digital TV switchover is Government policy. It will mean that almost everyone will be able to receive digital TV through an aerial (Freeview). Digital TV also uses less broadcast space which means that after switchover, there will be more room for new services such as wireless broadband, local TV and High Definition Television (HDTV). To keep your TV service, you will need to convert your TVs to digital before your area’s switchover date.
The switchover will mean that more people will be able to enjoy the benefits of digital TV and will make a wide range of digital television options more affordable. Until digital switchover is complete, about one in four UK households can't get the full range of digital TV services available free through an aerial, and one in five UK households cannot get Five through their aerial. Digital switchover will make sure the best available technology is in use. It will also make space for new services like high definition TV and broadcasting to mobile phones.

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Q: When is digital switchover happening?
A: Digital switchover will take place TV region by TV region starting with the Border TV region in 2008 and ending in Ulster around 2012. This is the confirmed timetable for switchover:

TV Region
Date

Border
2008, second half

West Country
2009, first half

HTV Wales
2009, second half

Granada
2009, second half

HTV West
2010, first half

Grampian
2010, first half

Scottish Television
2010, first half

Yorkshire
2011, first half

Anglia
2011, first half

Central
2011, first half

Meridian
2012, first half

Carlton / LWT (London)
2012, first half

Tyne Tees
2012, second half

Ulster
2012, second half

You will get plenty of notice before services in your area are affected and plenty of advice on what to do through various media - but you could start thinking about your digital TV options today.

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Q: How much will it cost?

A: Going digital can be simple and inexpensive. Most households have a choice of options and can weigh up the services they want against what they want to spend. Most existing TV sets can be adapted with a digital or freeview set top box, with basic digital boxes starting at around £15. Alternatively you can replace your old TV with one that has a decoder built into it, known as an integrated digital TV set or iDTV. Some households are likely to need a new aerial. Again, there are a large variety of available options.

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Q: Will switching to digital affect TV licences?

A: If you need a TV licence today, you will still need one after digital switchover. The cost is the same and you don't need a separate licence to watch digital television.