TV SWITCHOVER CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES Hot

TV SWITCHOVER CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES

TV switchover help is at hand

The campaign to prepare viewers in London for digital TV switchover is underway.

Starting on 4 April 2012, analogue TV signals will be turned off and Freeview digital channels made available to thousands of extra homes for the first time. Any television currently using an aerial will need to be converted to digital to continue receiving programmes. The campaign will explain what viewers need to do and their options for digital TV.

Digital UK is the independent body co-ordinating the campaign and will use local advertising, roadshows and community events to spread the message. A Switchover Help scheme has been put in place to help viewers make the switchover.

The Switchover Help Scheme will be sending out letters offering eligible older and disabled people practical help to switch one TV in their household to digital. The Help Scheme provides:

• Easy-to-use equipment to convert one TV set
• An approved installer to supply and install the necessary equipment, and
• A 12 month aftercare service including a free helpline.

People are eligible for the Help Scheme if they are aged 75 or over, have lived in a care home for six months or more, get (or could get) certain disability benefits, or are registered blind or partially sighted. The service costs £40 but is free for people who are eligible and also receive pension credit income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or income-related employment and support allowance.

The Digital UK website and advice line provides viewers with all they need to know about the switchover in their area.

Digital UK: 08456 50 50 50 (English) 0845 6063963, digitaluk.co.uk
• Switchover Help Scheme: 0800 40 85 900, helpscheme.co.uk


End





Notes to Editors

1. The Switchover Help Scheme: People aged 75 and over, eligible for certain disability benefits, registered blind or partially sighted or living in care homes are entitled to practical help from the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme. For £40, they will be offered equipment to switch one TV per household to digital. They will be able to have that equipment installed if they want it, a demonstration of how it works and a number to call while they get used to things. If they’re eligible and also on income-related benefits, the help will be free. Everyone eligible will be contacted directly before switchover. More information is available on 0800 40 85 900 and online at helpscheme.co.uk.

2. Channel availability: Before switchover, Freeview channels are available from main transmitter sites only, offering viewers with digital TVs or set top boxes a line-up of more than 40 channels. Switchover will see more than 1,000 local relay transmitters upgraded to digital. After switchover, relay transmitters will broadcast around 15 Freeview TV channels, including BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 plus associated services such as ITV2 and BBC Three. Viewers can use the postcode checker at digitaluk.co.uk to check channel availability in their area.

3. How switchover happens: Analogue services will be switched off in two stages. At stage one – 4 April 2012 - , analogue BBC Two is switched off and the first group of Freeview digital channels will become available from relay transmitters for the first time. At stage two - 18 April 2012 - the remaining analogue channels will be permanently switched off and replaced with additional digital TV, radio and text services.








Digital TV switchover is the process of converting the UK’s terrestrial television system to digital. Between now and 2012, analogue channels are being switched off region by region and replaced with free-to-air digital TV and radio services (Freeview). Switchover will extend Freeview coverage virtually to the whole of the UK and free up airwaves for new services such as ultra-fast wireless broadband. Digital services are also available via broadband, cable and satellite.

Digital UK is the independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 to lead the implementation of digital switchover. It is jointly owned and funded by the public-service broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and S4C), and the digital multiplex operators.

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC under an agreement with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change to digital TV. More information is available from helpscheme.co.uk.

Images are available to media free of charge at digitaluk.co.uk/press

Follow us on Twitter for live updates on switchover: twitter.com/DigitalUK



Contacts
Nini Olorunoje
Press Officer
nini@richvisions.co.uk
0208 555 2200