Digital switchover dates in the United Kingdom

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Digital switchover is the name given to the process by which UK analogue broadcast television in an area is converted to digital television. It is sometimes referred to as "analogue switch off". For full details see UK Digital switchover.

In the UK, the terrestrial switchover started in October 2007 and end in 2012 (the Channel Islands are expected to switch in 2013^[1]). Each television 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.

1 Switchover dates

[edit] Switchover dates

Areas covered by transmitters that will change frequency group and will require a new aerial to view TV after switchover (updated April 2007)

Areas where the strongest signal comes from a transmitter carrying only public service multiplexes after switchover

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 UK as below. Digital UK will publish the exact date for each transmitter approximately six months ahead of switchover.

[edit] Technical trial

30 March 2005

Ferryside, serving the Ferryside and Llansteffan community in Wales (approx 1200 people in around 500 properties)

[edit] ITV Border

17 October 2007 (BBC2 Analogue, Multiplex 1 Digital)
14 November 2007 (Remaining Analogue & Digital)

Eskdale Green, Gosforth and Whitehaven‡ (Bigrigg) transmitters, serving the Copeland area of Cumbria.

‡ 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 switches in Q4 2008, these three transmitters will switch to 64QAM transmission mode on multiplexes 1 and B. Multiplex B will carry Five (TV) from this point, when it will be known as "PSB3".

6 November 2008

Selkirk, serving Scottish Borders^[2]

Q2 2009

Caldbeck†^[3], serving Cumbria, Dumfries & Galloway and the Isle of Man

[edit] ITV Westcountry

Q2 2009

Beacon Hill, serving south Devon
Stockland Hill, serving south-west Somerset, parts of west Dorset and south-east Devon, including Exeter

Q3 2009

Huntshaw Cross, serving north Devon
Redruth, serving west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Caradon Hill, serving much of Cornwall and Devon, including Plymouth

[edit] ITV Wales

Q3 2009

Preseli, serving west Wales
Carmel, serving west Wales

Q4 2009

Llanddona, serving north-west Wales, including Anglesey
Moel-Y-Parc, serving north-east Wales

Q1 2010

Blaenplwyf, serving west and central Wales
Long Mountain, serving east-central Wales
Wenvoe, serving south-east Wales, including Cardiff

[edit] ITV Granada

Q4 2009 The entire Granada region will switch to digital in this quarter, when the Winter Hill transmitter and its dependent relays – serving Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire, are converted.