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The SwitchHelp Site was designed for the 2012 Switchover. The Switchover is not complete, so this site is no longer maintained. We keep it live as it still may contacin some useful historial information. See SwitchHelp Index for a list of all pages. |
UK Digital TV Switchover Explained
The UK analogue TV service was switched off in phases. After October 2012, there is no more analogue TV service in Britain.
‘Analogue’ is how the UK has received television since the 1930’s, and the 21st century has brought with it Digital TV – Offering more channels, and more choice.
If your TV or recorder gets a signal from a TV aerial (normally on the roof), and only supports analogue, you may need to make some changes before the Digital Switchover, then the old analogue service is switched off.
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Overview: Analogue TV, the service that’s being switched off
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The changeover to digital TV doesn’t mean that you have to throw away your current TV, or upgrade to High Definition – it simply means that by the time that analogue telly is switched off in your TV region, you need to have a digital TV receiver.
If you’ve bought a new TV recently, you may find it has a built-in Freeview receiver, otherwise, you’ll need to get a Digital TV set-top box.
Your options for digital TV are:
- Freeview – Digital TV via a TV aerial and a digital receiver. No subscription. Freeview basics
- Satellite TV – Sky offers the widest choice, or there’s a free-to-view satellite service
- Cable TV – If your house is in a Virgin Media area, you can get TV and Internet on subscription. Virgin Media Basics
- Phone line – In certain parts of the UK, you can get TV down a phone line with a special set-top box from TalkTalk TV
What you need to do: As well as getting your main TV set ready for the digital switchover – don’t forget about other TV sets in the house. Also, give some thought to how you’ll record TV. Is your video or DVD recorder able to record digital TV? See our checklist
This site offers more information on the options available to you, and what you need to do before the analogue switch-off. If you have a question, try our Digital Switch Questions page.
Other Links:
- Digital Switchover Checklist – How ready are you?
- Why are we switching? – Understanding why we need to switch
- What happens on Switchover day? – What you need to know
