>> When will my TV signal be switched off?
The timetable for analogue switch-off by region is:
2008: Border
2009: West Country, HTV Wales, Granada
2010: HTV West, Grampian, Scottish Television
2011: Yorkshire, Anglia, Central
2012: Meridian, Carlton/LWT (London), Tyne Tees, Ulster
What will happen with the old analogue TV signal?
There is a major debate over what should happen to the spectrum for analogue TV after switchover. If the Government auctions off use of the spectrum to private companies who would want it for uses such as mobile phone TV, it could obtain a substantial amount of money. In 2000 the Government raise £22bn with the auctioning of 3G mobile phone broadcast licences.
However, an alliance of public service broadcasters, consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers, HD for All, is lobbying for a third of the spectrum to be set aside for free-to-watch High Definition television. This would enable the BBC and current terrestrial broadcasters to air programmes in superior quality HD-TV. A decision has yet to be made. <<