Starting in October 2007 and ending in 2012, TV services in the UK will go completely digital, region by region.  The UK’s old analogue television signal is being switched off and replaced with a digital signal. 

This is part of a four-year nationwide switchover, during which time all regions will lose their analogue signal to go digital.  On October 17th at 2.37am Whitehaven in Cumbria made broadcasting history, becoming the first town in the UK to start switching to digital-only television.

Out with the old and in with the new, the old analogue signals have started being turned off at Whitehaven and replaced with a stronger digital picture and viewers need to convert or upgrade their TV equipment to receive digital signals, whether through their aerial, by satellite, cable or broadband.  The rest of the UK will follow the same process over the next five years.  The regions are determined by the ITV1 service that viewers currently receive you live in as follows:
Granada - 2009 Central and Anglia - 2011 Meridian and London - 2012

Just as with the change from black and white to colour forty years ago, this change will bring benefits.  For the first time everyone will be able to access a range of free digital channels through their aerial.

Simon Crine, director of corporate affairs at Digital UK, an organisation set up to raise awareness about the switchover, says:

‘We are pleased with consumer awareness levels 80% know it is coming. Viewers should act ahead of the switch-off, but there is no cause for panic.’  

However research shows that the take up of digital tv among the over 75’s, those who are disabled and those who are blind or partially sighted is often well below the national average, even though it offers many benefits, including extra channels, more programmes with subtitles and audio description of programmes for those who are blind or partially sighted.

The Government is responsible for the policy of digital switchover, including the 2007-2012 timetable and the establishment of the Digital Switchover Help Scheme for those who may need practical assistance with switchover.  The scheme has been created to provide practical help to convert a TV set for approximately seven million people.

Digital UK is the independent not-for-profit company leading the implementation of switchover.

A four point guide to digital switchover:
1. Digital switchover will take place between 2008 and 2012, TV region by TV Region. You can check when your TV region will go digital at Digital UK

2. Digital Terrestrial TV viewers will need a digital set top box or a new television with built in digital adapter (known as an integrated digital TV, or IDTV. Some viewers may also need to replace their aerial.

3. You don’t need to replace your existing TV unless you want to but you will need a digital box such as the Top Up TV + DTR.

4. Don’t forget your video recorder: if you use a video (VCR) or DVD recorder for recording you will still be able to play back tapes/DVDs as before. But, if you want to record one digital channel while you are watching another, you’ll need a digital TV recorder with two digital tuners.

Region Switchover happens in Border 2008 - 09: West Country, Granada 2009: Wales 2009 - 10: West, STV North 2010: STV Central 2010 - 11: Central, Yorkshire, Anglia 2011: Meridian, London, Tyne Tees, Ulster 2012

The Digital UK website Click HERE:  answers the questions:

What is Digital Switchover?
How do I make the switch?
When is is taking place?
Where is it happening?

See Also the Government Website Click HERE: Digital Television

Community Information @Island Pulse.