Digital TV News

Wales to become UK’s first digital nation

Thursday 4 March, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Wales has begun its countdown to become the UK’s first digital nation, which will happen at the end of this month.

Wales will switch completely to digital before the end of the month, making it the first digital nation in the UK.

The last remaining BBC analogue signal was switched off at the Wenvoe transmitter yesterday, and viewers in Cardiff, Newport and south east Wales can now receive the digital BBC channels.

Other digital channels, including ITV, S4C, Channel 4 and Five will become available in the next few weeks.

Emyr Byron Hughes, Digital UK’s national manager for Wales, told WalesOnline.co.uk that so far the switchover was going well, with only a small number of viewers calling the switchover helpline.

He added: “People seem to like the idea of digital TV and more channels.”

Analogue signals in west, north and central Wales have already been switched off, with areas of west Wales around Aberystwyth due to follow in six days.

Jon Ingram, operations director at Digitalchoices.co.uk, said: “Consumers in Wales that are looking for even more channels than those available on Freeview should consider signing up to a digital TV provider such as Sky or Virgin Media.”

“As well as extra channels, there are features with subscription TV services that you don’t get with Freeview, like on-demand TV, films and sports, as well as the possibility of 3D TV,” he added.

According to Digital UK - the group behind the digital switchover - households in some areas of Wales will find problems with the BBC channels on their Freeview, because these services have moved to different frequencies.

Viewers can restore these channels by retuning their Freeview set-top boxes and integrated digital TVs.