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The Digital Switchover (DSO) programme consists of 68 transmitter group projects, across 15 Television Regions. Each transmitter group comprises of a 'lead' switchover transmitter and its relays, which switch as a set in a two-stage process.
Digital UK produces an Almanac which provides information on transmission, services and products to installers and retail engineers. It incorporates information provided by Digital UK, Arqiva, Ofcom and others - such as transmitter location maps, transmission details and other official data.
Digital UK and Ofcom produce and publish maps which assist in identifying switchover dates through identifying a transmitter's location. These maps provide guidance on which transmitter groups are within a particular tv region, as well as communicate adjacent and overlapping transmitters.
Digital switchover is the biggest single broadcasting infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK. It affects every part of the terrestrial television delivery chain, from programme distribution by the broadcasters through to reception at a receiver, and in particular, it affects the transmission equipment at every television transmitter site in the UK. The switchover engineering work has been broken down into clearly distinct activities, each one of which is subject to its own set of procedures and agreement. Each site undergoes a detailed technical design which subject to ongoing refinement right up until the point that a particular transmitter is actually constructed.
The switchover timetable was confirmed in September 2005 following planning by the public service broadcasters, the multiplex operators, the transmission companies, Digital UK and Ofcom. The new digital switchover spectrum plan is based on, a "universal" roll out of three public service broadcaster (PSB) multiplexes to give analogue equivalent coverage. Major re-engineering and upgrade work on transmitters is necessary in advance of the actual switchover dates. This work on the UK’s network of more than 1,050 transmitters is now well underway and is being carried out gradually to minimise disruption to viewers is coordinated by Digital UK.
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