The UK switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial television, which will free up capacity for 4G services, has finally been completed. The analogue digital signal is to be switched off today for the last time, with TV viewers in Northern Ireland being the last to watch non-digital TV.
As of today, all transmissions of analogue TV channels will cease, leaving only the digital channels behind. The move means meaning the whole of Britain is in the digital TV era, and coincides with the launch of the superfast 4G mobile internet due at the end of the month (30th October).
The completion marks a critical stage in the launch of 4G services in the UK, allowing Ofcom to start the process of auctioning the ‘digital dividend’, the airwaves previously occupied by analogue television.
Ofcom chief executive, Ed Richards, said: ‘The UK’s switchover to digital has been a huge success. Not only has it created more TV choice for consumers, it has also freed up vital capacity that will be used to deliver mobile broadband services to 98% of cities, towns and villages across the UK.
‘Now that switchover is complete, Ofcom is looking forward to delivering the 4G auction as the next step in delivering new higher speed mobile broadband services.’
End of an era
The switch has already taken place in the rest of the UK, and the first phase of the switch happened in Northern Ireland on October 10, when the BBC2 analogue signal was switched off. Now this is the very final phase.
The switchover to digital terrestrial television marks the end of more than 70 years of analogue broadcasting.
Over the past five years, the UK’s five national analogue TV channels have been switched off and replaced with over 70 digital channels. The process has been run by Digital UK, broadcasters and transmission company Arqiva.
Northern Ireland is the final region to broadcast analogue TV, switching to digital television today (23 October).
This means that any viewers who still do not have a set-top box or a new television with digital hardware built into it have just hours to get one, otherwise they will be left facing a blank screen.
In addition, all viewers (excluding those with satellite or cable TV) will have to retune their sets tomorrow, even if viewers have already got their digital connection set up, because the switch over will scramble the existing channels.
There have been fears that some viewers who are housebound, elderly or suffering from debilitating illnesses may be left behind as a result of the switch.
One man in charge of giving them a helping hand is Nigel Tilson, the manager of the BBC-run Help Scheme to offer assistance to many viewers who qualify for their help.
He said: “We don’t know what Wednesday will bring, but most people are prepared and are quite relaxed about it all. Naturally, there are going to be a few who slip through the net. But in terms of our Help Scheme, we’re open until November 24.”
