General information about the digital switchover in the UK
On 31 March 2010 Wales will become the first digital nation in the UK when the Wenvoe transmitter covering Cardiff and south east Wales completes its switch to a digital signal.
Many residents will already be enjoying digital TV through their aerial (Freeview), via satellite, with cable in some areas or through broadband.
However, it is important to make sure every that TV set and recorder that you plan to use after the switchover is capable of working with digital signals.
Virtually all households will be able to receive around 20 of the most popular Freeview channels, as opposed to the five currently available on analogue TV, and many households will be able to receive more than 40 channels.
Information and help on the switchover is available on the Digital UK website where you can find options for switching to digital, check whether you live in an area that can currently receive digital television via an aerial, and find out which transmitter group you are most likely to be receiving your terrestrial TV signal from.
If you haven’t got a computer or access to the internet, information is also available on the phone. Simply call the Digital UK helpline on 08456 505050 - Welsh language help and advice is available by calling 08458 484848.
Switchover help scheme
The Switchover Help Scheme was set up by the Government and is run by the BBC. Its purpose is to make digital TV easy for older and disabled people by converting one of their televisions to digital in the run-up to digital TV switchover in their region.
People will be offered the help if they are aged 75 or over, registered blind or partially sighted, eligible for certain disability benefits or have lived in a care home for six months or more.
About half a million people are eligible for the Switchover Help Scheme in Wales, and about half a million more outside the principality will be mailed because they could potentially receive their TV from an affected transmitter in Wales.
Eligible people in the Wales region will be offered a Freeview set top box installed on one of their TVs, at a subsidised cost of £40, or free if they also get income benefits. The equipment will give them access to more than 20 channels including all the public service channels.
The help also includes a demonstration of how to use the equipment, an aerial check and upgrade if necessary for those that own their own aerials, and a Help Line to ring for advice while they get used to it.
If there are eligible people who cannot get digital television through an aerial, they will be offered satellite equipment from freesat at the BBC and ITV on the same terms.
Click here to find out more about the help scheme.
Digital Outreach Ltd
Digital Outreach Ltd primarily targets people who are not eligible for assistance under the Switchover Help Scheme, but may benefit from extra information and advice.
Digital Outreach Ltd works closely with the Switchover Help Scheme (with eaga) and Digital UK to provide impartial information on what people need to do to prepare for the switch to digital TV, and when they need to do it.
Digital Outreach mobilises local charities in each transmitter area, giving them the resources to support their local communities through switchover by:
- Distributing information and advice materials to local charities and their clients in the period before switchover
- Providing switchover training for local charity staff and volunteers
- Integrating switchover information and advice into relevant local voluntary and community sector activities and into existing home visits when appropriate
- Organising meetings and events in the period before switchover and drop-in sessions at the time of switchover
Visit the Digital Outreach website for more information.
- Last Updated: 08/04/2009
- Rate this page
- Back to top
