Department for Culture Media and Sport

digital TV switchover

By 2012, analogue television services in the UK will be replaced by digital.

The old analogue television signal will be switched off a region at a time, and the digital terrestrial signal will be boosted.

This process, known as digital switchover, has important benefits:

  • more choice
    It is important that people have a choice of options for getting digital television. Homes in many parts of the UK cannot get digital television via their aerial. Switchover will extend digital terrestrial TV to 98.5 per cent of households, the same as the current analogue coverage
  • increased efficiency
    Digital broadcast signals can carry many more channels than analogue. This releases broadcasting space that can be used for a range of services, such as more TV channels in either standard or high definition, wireless broadband and local TV

We are working with the Office of Communications (Ofcom) and Digital UK to ensure that digital switchover is a success.

More information about switchover is available from the Government’s Digital Television website.

How to make the switch

For details of the options available in your area,* timetable information and help with switching to digital television, visit the Digital UK website. There is also a scheme to help people with the switchover.

 

*There are special arrangements in place to ensure the continuing availability of the Irish language channel TG4 in Northern Ireland after switchover as set out in a Statement to Parliament on 20 December 2010. This technical guidance note advises how to receive the service.