News Release

5th November 2008

It's not too late to get help to switch to digital

It's still not too late for older and disabled people to get help
from the Switchover Help Scheme. Although switchover to digital TV
starts today (6 November) in the Selkirk transmitter area, people in
the Scottish Borders who are eligible for the Switchover Help Scheme
can continue to apply for the help for months to come.

Even eligible people who have told the Help Scheme they didn't want
the support can still opt in, up until August 2009. For example people
who thought they were ready for switchover, but now find they are in
difficulties using the equipment they have, they can still apply.

Those who are part of the Help Scheme can also draw upon the help
line for up to a year following the switch while they get used to the
new equipment.

Help Scheme representatives are manning drop in advice centres at
venues all over the Scottish Borders over the next few days and Help
Scheme engineers are standing by today in case any eligible people have
problems starting up their new equipment

• About 17,000 eligible people in the Selkirk transmitter area have been mailed information to apply for the Help Scheme.

• So far two thirds (about 11,500) have responded. Many of those who got in touch said they did not need the help.

• Up to 30 October, 2,508 people (about 15%) of those who had responded had opted in to the Help Scheme.

• Already 2,000 (80 per cent) of those applications have been
  installed or have had digital equipment delivered. Most of the
  remaining applications are booked for installation or delivery before
  full switchover on November 20

Local Help Scheme spokesperson Sumera Bashir, said: "The message we
want to give eligible people is that there really is no need to get
left behind. Help is still available and we want to hear from anyone
who still needs us. We will be on hand to give general advice but we
can also support people through the application process by helping them
apply there and then if that's what they want.

"We are also asking everyone in the community to think about passing
on this message to anyone they know who may now find themselves with no
TV and may just needs that little bit extra help to get in touch with
us.

"The sooner people get in touch the sooner they will be able to continue watching their favourite shows."

The BBC run Switchover Help Scheme has been designed to give older
and disabled people practical support in the run up to switchover in
their region.

People could pay as little as £40 to get one of their TVs switched
to digital with the standard offer of a Sky satellite system. If they
were eligible and also on income benefits, the help was free. They
could choose other options at a higher but still subsidised cost.

People are eligible for the Help Scheme if they are aged 75 or over,
get or could get, disability living allowance, attendance or constant
attendance allowance, or mobility supplement, if they are registered
blind or partially sighted or have been a resident in a care home for
six months or more.

All eligible people were sent an Options Pack outlining their
choices. But people can also call the dedicated Help Scheme number for
free on 0800 40 85 901, to either apply, or to find out how the Help
Scheme can make it easy to go digital for a low cost. Eligible people
can also nominate someone else to make their application for them.

If you would like to find out more about the Help Scheme and who is eligible to apply, please log on to www.helpscheme.co.uk

ENDS

Images available upon request

Notes to editors:

Help Scheme advice can be received at the digital outreach drop-ins run by Digital UK:

Switchover Help Scheme

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement
with the Government to help older and disabled people make the change
to digital.

Every eligible person will be offered practical help to convert one
of their TV sets to digital in the run up to switchover in their
region. People are eligible if they are aged 75 years or more, or if
they are registered blind or partially sighted. Also eligible are
people who get (or could get) attendance or constant attendance
allowance, mobility supplement, or disability living allowance.

Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help. The
service is free for people who are eligible and also get pension
credit, income support or income-based jobseekers allowance.

More information is available by calling 0800 40 85 902. or through visiting www.helpscheme.co.uk

Help Scheme figures for Copeland

About 2,600 (30%) people were helped with equipment in Copeland,
Cumbria, the first area of the UK to switch to digital, last year.
About 9,000 people were eligible in the Copeland area and we received
responses from about 6,000 of them. Almost all the people who opted out
of the Scheme said it was because they were making their own
arrangements for switchover.

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

Regional published timetable for Border 2008/09

Selkirk will start on 6 November and be complete on 20 November 2008.

Caldbeck - serving Cumbria and south west Scotland will start on 24 June and be complete on 22 July 2009.

Digital UK

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

eaga

eaga, the provider of residential energy efficiency and outsourcing
services, has been selected by the BBC as the Help Scheme service
provider to deliver the help available under the scheme from the ITV
Border region onwards.