Digital switchover in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
. It is sometimes referred to as "analogue switch off". For full details see UK Digital switchover.
In the UK, the terrestrial
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
switchover started in October 2007 and is scheduled to end on 24 October 2012. Each group of transmitters within each TV region will have its analogue broadcasts switched off at a certain time between these dates. The process is co-ordinated by an independent body, Digital UK
Digital UK
Digital UK is the body in charge of the digital switchover of television in the United Kingdom.Digital UK communicates switchover to the public, works with industry to build support for the switchover programme, and co-ordinates engineering work across the UK broadcast network...
.
Switchover guide
Stage 1 - Analogue BBC Two switched off and digital Multiplex 1 moved into its old place.Stage 2 - All remaining analogue channels switched off and digital multiplexes moved into their old places.
Switchover dates
These are the dates at which switchover will take place in each TV region. For the first regions, quarterly dates for each main transmitter have been published by Digital UKDigital UK
Digital UK is the body in charge of the digital switchover of television in the United Kingdom.Digital UK communicates switchover to the public, works with industry to build support for the switchover programme, and co-ordinates engineering work across the UK broadcast network...
as below.
Technical trial
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | BBC One, ITV, S4C switched off on 30 March 2005 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferryside Ferryside Relay Ferryside Relay is a small TV relay in the village of Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, Wales . Ferryside Relay is one of the few broadcasting transmitters using a wooden pole as aerial tower.- Digital switchover :... |
Ferryside and Llansteffan community in Wales (approx 1200 people in around 500 properties) | 6 March 2009 (complete) | |
BorderBorder TelevisionBorder Television is the ITV franchise holder for the Border region, spanning the England/Scotland border and covering Dumfries & Galloway region, a small part of the south-west area of Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, parts of north and west Northumberland and the majority of Cumbria...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eskdale Green, Gosforth and Whitehaven‡ | Copeland | 17 October 2007 (complete) | 14 November 2007 (complete) |
| Selkirk Selkirk transmitting station The Selkirk transmitting station is a telecommunications facility located next to Lindean Loch, near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. It includes a high guyed steel lattice mast, surmounted by a UHF television transmitting antenna array, which brings the overall height of the structure to... |
Scottish Borders | 6 November 2008 (complete) | 20 November 2008 (complete) |
| Caldbeck Caldbeck transmitting station The Caldbeck transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated close to the village of Caldbeck, in Cumbria, England . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.... † |
North and Mid-Cumbria, and Dumfries & Galloway | 18 June 2009 (complete) | 24 June 2009 (complete) |
| ‡ These transmitters will carry the three PSB (public service broadcasting) multiplexes 1, 2 and B in their current form. When the rest of the region switched in Q4 2008, these three transmitters switched to 64QAM transmission mode on multiplexes 1 and B. Multiplex B in this region also carries Channel Five Channel Five Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010... , and is currently classified as "PSB3" |
|||
WestcountryWestcountry TelevisionWestcountry Television, is the ITV franchise holder in the South West of England, replacing its predecessor, TSW , from the 1 January 1993...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon Hill | South Devon | 8 April 2009 (complete) | 22 April 2009 (complete) |
| Stockland Hill Stockland Hill transmitting station The Stockland Hill transmitting station is a transmitting facility of FM Radio and UHF television located near Honiton, Devon, England. This transmitter mainly serves the East of Devon and West Dorset.-Digital television:... |
South-west Somerset, parts of west Dorset and south-east Devon, including Exeter | 6 May 2009 (complete) | 20 May 2009 (complete) |
| Huntshaw Cross Huntshaw Cross transmitting station Huntshaw Cross transmitting station is a telecommunications facility serving North Devonincluding the towns of Barnstaple and South Molton. It broadcasts television, radio and mobile telephone services. It is located on the B3232 road at Huntshaw, Great Torrington. Grid reference SS527220. The mast... |
North Devon | 1 July 2009 (complete) | 29 July 2009 (complete) |
| Redruth | East Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 8 July 2009 (complete) | 5 August 2009 (complete) |
| Caradon Hill | Cornwall and Devon, including Plymouth | 12 August 2009 (complete) | 9 September 2009 (complete) |
Wales
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, S4C, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilvey Hill Kilvey Hill Kilvey Hill is a hill in Britain. It rises in south Wales, to the east of Swansea city centre. Kilvey Hill is high and is classed as a Sub Marilyn... |
Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
12 August 2009 (complete) | 9 September 2009 (complete) |
| Preseli | West Wales | 19 August 2009 (complete) | 16 September 2009 (complete) |
| Carmel | South and central Wales | 26 August 2009 (complete) | 23 September 2009 (complete) |
| Llanddona | North-west Wales, including Anglesey Anglesey Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales... |
21 October 2009 (complete) | 18 November 2009 (complete) |
| Moel-y-Parc | North-east Wales | 28 October 2009 (complete) | 25 November 2009 (complete) |
| Long Mountain | East-central Wales | 4 November 2009 (complete) | 3 December 2009 (complete) |
| Blaenplwyf | Central and mid Wales | 10 February 2010 (complete) | 10 March 2010 (complete) |
| Wenvoe Wenvoe Transmitter The Wenvoe transmitting station is a facility for broadcasting and telecommunications situated close to the village of Wenvoe in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in the UK. It comprises a guyed mast with antennas attached at various heights. The mast plus the Main UHF antenna on top now gives a... |
South-east Wales, including Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
3 March 2010 (complete) | 31 March 2010 (complete) |
GranadaGranada TelevisionGranada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | Isle of Man | 18 June 2009 (complete) | 24 July 2009 (complete) |
| Winter Hill Winter Hill transmitting station The Winter Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications site situated on Winter Hill, at the southern boundary of the Borough of Chorley, and above Bolton in Greater Manchester, England... |
Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and South Cumbria | 4 November 2009 (complete) | 2 December 2009 (complete) |
West of England
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendip | Bristol, parts of Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Southern Gloucestershire | 24 March 2010 (complete) | 7 April 2010 (complete) |
| Ridge Hill (West) | North Gloucestershire | 6 April 2011 (complete) | 20 April 2011 (complete) |
STV NorthGrampian TelevisionGrampian Television is the ITV franchisee for the North and North East of Scotland. Its coverage area includes the Scottish Highlands , Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and parts of north Fife...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, STV, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bressay Bressay transmitting station Bressay Transmitting Station is a broadcasting transmission facility for the Shetland Islands, located on the isle of Bressay, owned and operated by Arqiva... |
The Shetland Islands | 5 May 2010 (complete) | 19 May 2010 (complete) |
| Keelylang Hill | The Orkney Islands | 12 May 2010 (complete) | 26 May 2010 (complete) |
| Rumster Forest Rumster Forest transmitting station The Rumster Forest transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility near the town of Wick, in Caithness, Scotland . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.... |
Caithness | 2 June 2010 (complete) | 16 June 2010 (complete) |
| Eitshal | Lewis, Wester Ross, North West Sutherland and parts of Harris and Skye | 7 July 2010 (complete) | 21 July 2010 (complete) |
| Skriaig | Skye, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and parts of Barra | 14 July 2010 (complete) | 28 July 2010 (complete) |
| Angus Angus transmitting station The Angus transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated approximately five miles due north of the city of Dundee, Scotland . It includes a guyed steel lattice mast which is 229.5 metres in height. Mounted at the top are the UHF television antennas,... |
Angus, Dundee, Perth and parts of Fife | 4 August 2010 (complete) | 18 August 2010 (complete) |
| Durris Durris transmitting station The Durris transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated close to the town of Stonehaven, within Durris Forest, within the area also known historically as Kincardineshire . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.... |
Aberdeenshire | 1 September 2010 (complete) | 15 September 2010 (complete) |
| Knockmore | Morayshire, Strathspey and parts of Easter Ross | 8 September 2010 (complete) | 22 September 2010 (complete) |
| Rosemarkie | Inverness and the Great Glen | 6 October 2010 (complete) | 20 October 2010 (complete) |
Channel IslandsChannel TelevisionChannel Television is a British television station which has served as an Independent Television contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frémont Point | The Channel Islands | 17 November 2010 (complete) | |
STV CentralScottish TelevisionScottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, STV, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torosay | South west Highlands and Islands | 13 October 2010 (complete) | 27 October 2010 (complete) |
| Darvel | Parts of central Scotland, Argyll and Bute | 11 May 2011 (complete) | 25 May 2011 (complete) |
| Rosneath HP | Rosneath | ||
| Rosneath VP | |||
| Craigkelly | Lothian, parts of Edinburgh and parts of Fife | 1 June 2011 (complete) | 15 June 2011 (complete) |
| Black Hill | Glasgow, central Scotland and parts of Edinburgh | 8 June 2011 (complete) | 22 June 2011 (complete) |
AngliaAnglia TelevisionAnglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy Heath Sandy Heath transmitting station Sandy Heath transmitter is a television broadcast station located between Sandy, Bedfordshire and Potton near the B1042. It is owned by Arqiva, formerly NTL Broadcast. It was built in 1966, originally broadcasting Anglia Television on VHF 405-lines, UHF with 625-line services of BBC2, BBC1 and... |
Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire | 30 March 2011 (complete) | 13 April 2011 (complete) |
| Sudbury | Parts of Suffolk and Essex | 6 July 2011 (complete) | 20 July 2011 (complete) |
| Tacolneston | Norfolk and north Suffolk | 9 November 2011 (complete) | 23 November 2011 (complete) |
CentralCentral Independent TelevisionCentral Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham | The Nottingham area | 30 March 2011 (complete) | 13 April 2011 (complete) |
| Bromsgrove | The Bromsgrove area | 6 April 2011 (complete) | 20 April 2011 (complete) |
| Lark Stoke | Stratford upon Avon area | ||
| Ridge Hill (Central) | Herefordshire and south Shropshire | ||
| The Wrekin | North Shropshire and south Cheshire | ||
| Waltham Waltham transmitting station The Waltham transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facilityat Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles north-east of Melton Mowbray. It sits inside the Waltham civil parish near Stonesby, in the district of Melton, Leicestershire, UK. It has a guyed steel tubular mast... |
Parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and south Nottinghamshire | 17 August 2011 (complete) | 31 August 2011 (complete) |
| Fenton | Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme | 7 September 2011 (complete) | 21 September 2011 (complete) |
| Sutton Coldfield | much of the West Midlands | ||
| Oxford Oxford transmitting station The Oxford transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated on land above Ordnance Datum to the north east of the city of Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England . It has a guyed steel lattice mast which is in height to the top of the main steel structure... |
Oxfordshire, parts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire | 14 September 2011 (complete) | 28 September 2011 (complete) |
YorkshireYorkshire TelevisionYorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont Belmont transmitting station The Belmont transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated next to the B1225, one mile west of the village of Donington on Bain in the civil parish of South Willingham, near Market Rasen and Louth in Lincolnshire, England . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.It has... |
Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire | 3 August 2011 (complete) | 17 August 2011 (complete) |
| Oliver's Mount Oliver's Mount Oliver's Mount is an area of high ground overlooking Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It offers impressive views of the town, a tribute monument to the war dead, camping and caravanning at selected times of the year and a cafe but may be primarily known for its motorcycle races... |
The Scarborough area | ||
| Chesterfield | The Chesterfield area | 10 August 2011 (complete) | 24 August 2011 (complete) |
| Sheffield | The Sheffield area | ||
| Emley Moor Emley Moor transmitting station The Emley Moor transmitting station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on 'Emley Moor' to the west of the village of Emley, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England . The station's most visible feature is its concrete tower, which is a Grade II listed building... |
Most of Yorkshire | 7 September 2011 (complete) | 21 September 2011 (complete) |
MeridianMeridian BroadcastingMeridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hannington | Parts of Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey | 8 February 2012 | 22 February 2012 |
| Midhurst | Much of West Sussex | 29 February 2012 | 14 March 2012 |
| Rowridge | Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, parts of Dorset and West Sussex | 7 March 2012 | 21 March 2012 |
| Whitehawk Hill | The Brighton area | ||
| Hastings | The Hastings area | 30 May 2012 | 13 June 2012 |
| Heathfield | East Sussex | ||
| Tunbridge Wells | The Tunbridge Wells area | ||
| Bluebell Hill Blue Bell Hill Blue Bell Hill is a chalk hill between Maidstone and Rochester in the English county of Kent. It overlooks the River Medway and is part of the North Downs. Settlements on the hill include Walderslade; and Blue Bell Hill and Kit's Coty villages... |
North Kent and south Essex | 13 June 2012 | 27 June 2012 |
| Dover | South and east Kent |
LondonITV LondonITV London is the on-air brand name used by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the two Channel 3 broadcast franchises, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region.-History:...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | Greater London and parts of the Home Counties | 4 April 2012 | 18 April 2012 |
Tyne TeesTyne Tees TelevisionTyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilsdale | Teeside and much of North Yorkshire | 12 September 2012 | 26 September 2012 |
| Chatton Chatton transmitting station The Chatton transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated between Wooler and Seahouses, Northumberland. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.-Analogue radio :-Digital radio :-Analogue television:... |
North Northumberland | ||
| Pontop Pike | Tyne and Wear and Country Durham |
UTVUTVUTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
Northern Ireland will complete the digital switchover on the same day as the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
| Transmitter(s) | Area served | Stage 1 date (BBC Two switched-off) |
Stage 2 date (BBC One, UTV, Channel 4, Channel 5 switched-off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brougher Mountain Brougher Mountain transmitting station Brougher Mountain transmitting station is a major transmitting station in Northern Ireland. It is located between County Tyrone and County Fermanagh, on top of a 317-meter high hill called Brougher Mountain.... |
South West Northern Ireland | 10 October 2012 | 24 October 2012 |
| Divis Divis Divis is a large mountain and area of sprawling moorland to the north-west of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The mountain is 478 m tall, making it the highest of the Belfast Hills... |
Belfast and the surrounding area | ||
| Limavady | North West Northern Ireland |