Digital TV switchover announced
The timetable for Scotland to make the switch to digital TV was announced today (Thursday) by Digital UK, the independent body leading the process.
Scottish Borders became the first region to complete the change last month. Switchover will now progress to south-west Scotland next year, continuing throughout 2010 and finishing in Lothian, parts of Edinburgh and Fife by June 2011.
Switchover will make digital terrestrial television (Freeview) available to virtually every home in Scotland – including, for the first time, hundreds of thousands of viewers served by local ‘relay’ transmitters.
Paul Hughes, Digital UK’s National Manager for Scotland said: “Today we can provide a detailed timetable for switchover in Scotland. By the time the whole process is complete in June 2011, almost every Scottish household will have a choice of ways to receive digital TV.
“As part of our information campaign we’ll be writing to every household and sending our switchover roadshow to over 60 towns and cities across Scotland.”
Former Grampian TV man Alan Cowie, who joined the Digital UK team earlier this year, said: “There have been many changes in television since I joined as a young reporter, but this is the most exciting development since the arrival of colour. After switchover, almost every Scottish home will be able to get at least 20 channels through their aerial.”
Switchover takes place in two stages at each TV transmitter group. The calendar quarters during which each group will have its analogue signal turned off and replaced with a stronger digital signal are listed overleaf. The exact switchover dates for each group will be announced nearer the time.
Viewers can find out which transmitter they’re likely to be watching, and what their options are now and after switchover, by entering their postcode at digitaluk.co.uk, or phoning the helpline on 08456 50 50 50.
Selkirk - Scottish Borders - Nov 2008 (completed)
Caldbeck - South west Scotland (also serves Cumbria) - 24 Jun 2009
(completes 22 July 2009)
Bressay - The Shetland Islands - Apr – Jun 2010
Keelylang Hill - The Orkney Islands Apr – Jun 2010
Rumster Forest - Caithness Apr – Jun 2010
Eitshal - Wester Ross, Skye and the Outer Hebrides Jul – Sep 2010
Angus - Angus and Perth - Jul – Sep 2010
Durris - Aberdeenshire - Jul – Sep 2010
Knockmore - Morayshire and Dornoch - Jul – Sep 2010
Rosemarkie - Inverness and the Great Glen - Oct – Dec 2010
Torosay - South west Highlands and Islands - Oct – Dec 2010
Darvel - Parts of central Scotland, Argyll and Bute - Apr – Jun 2011
Rosneath - Rosneath - Apr – Jun 2011
Black Hill - Glasgow, central Scotland and parts of Edinburgh - Apr – Jun 2011
Craigkelly - Lothian, parts of Edinburgh and Fife - Apr – Jun 2011
Digital television switchover is the process of converting the UK’s terrestrial television system to digital. Between now and 2012, analogue channels will be switched off region by region and replaced with free-to-air digital TV and radio services (Freeview). Switchover will extend Freeview coverage to the whole of the UK and free up airwaves for new services such as ultra-fast wireless broadband and mobile television.
Digital UK is the independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 to lead the implementation of digital switchover. It is jointly owned and funded by the public-service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, S4C and Teletext), and the digital multiplex operators.