Switchover News September 2008

DATE SET FOR FIRST DIGITAL SWITCHOVER IN WALES

The date for the start of the switchover to digital television in Wales has been announced by Digital UK. West Wales will be the first area to switch to digital, starting with the Kilvey Hill transmitter group, serving the Swansea area, on 12 August, 2009. The Preseli transmitter group, serving south-west Wales, and the Carmel transmitter group, serving parts of south and central Wales, will begin the transition to digital broadcasting on 19 August and 26 August respectively. Find out more here.

HELP SCHEME UP AND RUNNING IN SCOTTISH BORDERS

The Switchover Help Scheme is now underway in Scottish Borders. Around 17,000 eligible older and disabled people are being offered practical help to switch one TV to digital in time for switchover this November. A quarter of people mailed by the Help Scheme have already responded to take up the help available or to decline the offer.

TV trails signalling the start of the Help Scheme’s national communications campaign will run for seven days across the UK from Saturday, 6 September. The first trail will air on BBC One at approximately 4.30pm, following coverage of the Paralympics. To find out more about the Help Scheme, click here.

UPDATED GUIDE HELPS LANDLORDS GET SET FOR DIGITAL

Landlords, tenants and housing bodies looking for information on digital TV switchover can now get extra help via the Digital UK Property Managers website. Redesigned and easier to use, the site explains the steps needed to ensure flats, care homes, hotels, schools and other properties can receive TV once analogue signals are switched off. Users can also search an updated database of frequently asked questions and email queries directly to the Digital UK housing team. Check out the site here.

DIGITAL UK TO ATTEND POLITICAL PARTY CONFERENCES

Digital UK and the Switchover Help Scheme will have a stand at this year’s main party conferences and are jointly sponsoring a series of evening fringe events organised by Age Concern and Help the Aged. Leading MPs and senior representatives from Digital UK will be speaking at each function. Delegates are invited to call at the stand where advisors will be on hand to answer questions about switchover and provide information about the help available.

SKY BOOSTS HD SERVICE WITH SEVEN NEW CHANNELS

Sky is to add seven new high-definition TV channels to its Sky+ HD service this October. Six genre-themed movie channels will sit alongside a new version of Sky Real Lives. The move will increase the total number of HD channels on the platform to 26, compared with nine on its launch in May 2006. Hilary Perchard, Head of Advanced TV Products for Sky, said: "With equipment prices falling and the choice of content increasing, this is shaping up to be a big year for HD.”