Viewers should retune as town goes digital

Date published: 02 December 2009

The final stage of digital TV switchover in Rochdale is on course to be completed today (Wednesday 2 December), extending digital terrestrial television (Freeview) coverage to all households.

All terrestrial TV signals were turned off shortly after midnight and a team of engineers worked through the night on the switch to all-digital TV services. Analogue services will remain switched off permanently, allowing Freeview channels to be broadcast from dozens of local relay transmitters for the first time.

When the transition is completed by late afternoon, Freeview, BT Vision and Top Up TV equipment should be retuned in order to receive all the channels available.

A small proportion of Freeview viewers may not receive their preferred BBC or ITV services from today, or may find that Channel 4 has moved to a different button to be replaced by S4C. This is because digital TV signals, like analogue ones, overlap between regions. Digital UK provides advice on how to restore preferred regional services at digitaluk.co.uk/retuning or through its advice line.

Switching off the analogue signal makes it possible to extend the level of Freeview coverage to reach 99% of households in the Granada TV region. Viewers receiving their signal from relay transmitters will see the number of TV channels available free via an aerial increase from four to around 15.

Digital TVs or analogue sets converted with a digital box will be able to receive BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 and Five, plus additional digital channels, digital text and radio services.

Jo Waters, Regional Manager for Digital UK, said: “I’m pleased to report that the technical transition went according to plan and, from today, many more viewers will be able to receive digital TV free via an aerial. People across the North West have responded really well in adapting to the change and preparing in good time.”