News Release

26th August 2009

Carmel Switchover Underway

Digital signal launched from local transmitters - Freeview viewers should retune

All Freeview viewers in parts of south and central Wales will need to retune their equipment today, as the digital switchover gets underway.

Shortly after midnight, all TV services were temporarily switched off at the Carmel transmitter group. Analogue BBC Two was switched off permanently.

An improved digital signal is being made available from Carmel and its relays, broadcasting the full range of BBC channels in digital form. Thirty-six thousand viewers of relay transmitters – in areas such as Llanelli, Builth Wells and Rhayader – can receive digital TV through their aerial (Freeview) for the first time today.

Terrestrial TV services will be off air for some viewers until the first stage of switchover is completed by around mid afternoon today. Once services are back on air, viewers of Freeview, BT Vision and Top Up TV should retune their equipment.

The second stage of switchover takes place on 23 September, when the remaining analogue channels will be switched off permanently. On this date, further Freeview channels from ITV, S4C, Channel 4 and Five will also become available from relay transmitters for the first time. All households served by the Carmel transmitter group will then be able to receive a Freeview signal.

Emyr Byron Hughes, Digital UK’s National Manager for Wales, said this morning: “Switchover at the Carmel transmitter group is underway, and many people are receiving Freeview channels for the first time.

“We’re now encouraging viewers who still don’t have the necessary equipment to get ready in time for 23 September, when all the analogue channels will be permanently switched off. Anyone who needs advice during this period should contact Digital UK.”

Digital UK, the body leading switchover, continues to provide support through local advice points (see notes), as well as its website (digitaluk.co.uk) and helpline (08456 50 50 50). A switchover roadshow is also running today at the Guild Hall Square in Carmarthen.

The Switchover Help Scheme is still welcoming applications from eligible older and disabled people to get help to convert one television – including a choice of equipment, installation and aftercare. Eligible people who have already converted a TV set without assistance can still apply to convert a second set. Help Scheme engineers will be working in the area over the switchover period to help with retuning and viewers can contact the Help Scheme on 0800 40 85 903.

- ends; notes follow -

Notes to editors

1. To retune your Freeview, Top-Up TV or BT Vision equipment, follow these steps:

Note: These instructions are a guide only – each product works slightly differently. Your instruction manual will explain the process for your particular product. Make sure you do a full retune following the guide below. Some product menus have ‘add channels’ or ‘auto search’ functions which may not restore all channels.

• Switch on your digital box or digital television
• Press ‘menu’ on the remote control
• Select ‘set up’ or ‘installation’ option
• Select ‘first time installation’ option (sometimes called ‘factory reset’, ‘full retune’ or ‘default settings’)
• Press “OK” if your equipment asks if you want to delete all your channels - don’t worry this is normal.
• Channels will be automatically installed. This may take a few minutes; your equipment may shut down and restart.

For more information on retuning visit digitaluk.co.uk/retuning

• Channel swaps From today, due to a change in broadcast frequencies, some viewers may find that one of their analogue channels moves to a different button on the remote control. All the analogue channels will be switched off permanently at stage two.
• A Welsh language helpline is available on 08458 48 48 48.

Advice points

Switchover advice points are running at the following locations on 26-27 August, and again on 23-24 September, from 10am to 4pm:

Builth Wells: Builth Community Support, High Street
Carmarthen: Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services, The Mount, Queen Street
Llandrindod Wells: Llandrindod Wells & District Volunteer Bureau/Community Support, High Street
Llanelli: Age Concern Sir Gar, Murray Street

Digital TV 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. 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, S4C and Teletext), 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. Every eligible person will be offered practical help to convert one of their TV sets to digital in the run-up to switchover in each region. People are eligible if they are aged 75 years or more, 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. Most people will be asked to contribute £40 towards the help but for those on certain income-related benefits, it’s free.

Images and video clips are available to media free of charge from vismedia.co.uk.

Contacts
Paul Shackson / Heather Martin at Good Relations
02920 344 888
pshackson@goodrelations.co.uk / hmartin@goodrelations.co.uk