- Provider reviewsWhich provider is best for you? Get independent advice and read customer feedback.
- AAA
HD coverage
Digital TV Guides
Freeview HD coverage
Updated: Wednesday 4 April, 2012
Freeview lets you watch high-definition (HD) programmes without the monthly fee.
Of the 60 million Freeview boxes in UK homes, nearly a quarter of a million have already signed up to the HD TV service. However, Freeview is currently only available to around 55% of the country.
|
|
Freeview regions
The UK is split into a number of television regions. Each region is then split into separate transmitter groups and areas.
Your area will have a digital switchover date, when the analogue signal will be switched off. Most parts of the country are switching to HD at the same time as the standard switchover, but other areas have a separate HD date. Check the tables below to find out when Freeview HD will be available in your area.
HD rollout
| Area | HD switchover date |
|---|---|
| London | December 2009 |
| Manchester | December 2009 |
| Newcastle and Tyneside | February 2010 |
| Glasgow, central Scotland | February 2010 |
| Leeds, Bradford | March 2010 |
| Birmingham | March 2010 |
| Liverpool, central Lancashire, Cheshire, north Staffordshire | March 2010 |
| Exeter, parts of Devon, Somerset, Dorset | April 2010 |
| Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire | April 2010 |
| Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly | August 2010 |
| Cumbria and the Lake District | October 2010 |
In other areas, Freeview HD will roll-out with the rest of the switchover programme:
| Area | HD switchover date |
|---|---|
| Bedfordshire, Berkshire (parts), Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, East Anglia, East Midlands, East Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Humberside, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire (parts), Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands (remainder), and West Yorkshire (remainder) | 2011 |
| Berkshire (remainder), County Durham, Greater London (remainder), Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Teesside, Tyneside | 2012 |
Wales
All of Wales will be able to receive Freeview HD channels by the end of July 2010.
| Area | HD switchover date |
|---|---|
| Cardiff, Newport (remainder) | March 2010 |
| Swansea | March 2010 |
| West and central Wales | March 2010 |
| Carmarthenshire | March 2010 |
| Anglesey | March 2010 |
Scotland
Freeview has announced HD switchover dates for the following areas of Scotland. After this, the rest of the country will be able to receive HD channels when each area switches to digital.
| Area | HD switchover date |
|---|---|
| Lewis, Wester Ross, North West Sutherland, Western Isles | July 2010 |
| Angus, Dundee, Perth, and parts of Fife | August 2010 |
| Aberdeenshire | September 2010 |
| Morayshire, Strathspey, and parts of Easter Ross | October 2010 |
| South West Scotland | October 2010 |
| Inverness and the Great Glen | October 2010 |
| South West Highlands and Islands | October 2010 |
| Scottish Borders | November 2010 |
Northern Ireland
Freeview HD will roll-out with the digital switchover programme in Northern Ireland. All areas will be able to receive HD channels by the end of 2012.
Other areas
The Isle of Man will receive HD channels in October 2010, after the initial switch to digital, while the Channel Islands will get HD and standard Freeview at the same time by the end of 2010.
Freeview HD coverage checker
To find out if Freeview HD is available in your area, simply enter your postcode and house number into our Freeview HD checker. We’ll tell you if you can get Freeview HD - and if not, we’ll let you know when it will be available.
Why choose Freeview HD?
Because you don’t to pay a monthly subscription to watch Freeview channels - even if they're in high-definition - Freeview HD is a great choice for anyone who wants to get the most out of their television wihtout a big budget.
Freeview HD channels
At present, Freeview offer three HD channels, covering BBC HD, ITV1 HD and C4 HD, though it will also add BBC One HD by Christmas.
How do I watch Freeview HD?
Use our Freeview HD checker to find out if Freeview offers high-definition channels in your area. If it does, all you need to be able to watch your favourite shows in glorious high-definition is a Freeview HD set-top box, which start from around £70.
You could also choose a Freview+ HD box that will allow you to pause, rewind and record “live” TV - these start from around £250 and different models will have different amounts of memory, affecting how much you can record on them. This starts from around 160-hours on the cheaper models and goes up to around 300-hours on Freeview+ HD boxes that cost more.
You could even go for an integrated Freeview HD television set, which won’t need an additional set-top box. The cost of a new Freeview HD TV will vary depending on the screen size and manufacturer that you choose.
High-definition alternatives
Free-to-view satellite TV provider Freesat offers two HD channels; BBC HD and ITV1 HD - but has much wider coverage because it uses satellite technology. Although you wouldn’t have to pay a monthly subscription, you do need to have a satellite dish installed if you want to sign-up to the service.
Sky (www.sky.co.uk) and Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) both offer a far wider choice of high-definition channels, though you would have to sign a contract and pay a monthly subscription if you want HD from one of these suppliers.
|
|
Copyright © 2006-2012 Digitalchoices.co.uk. All rights reserved. (v5.72)