Capita win first Switchover help scheme contract

Capita, the company that collects the TV licence fee, has been awarded the contract to provide help with digital switchover to the residents of Whitehaven, beating three other companies including (as reported earlier this month) BT. From June, the company will provide financial and technical support for the elderly, disabled and poor to make the switch to digital. Switchover begins in the town in October.

Switchover spectrum sale stalled

Ofcom has been forced to delay its proposals for what it will do with the broadcast frequencies freed up after digital switchover, due to an overwhelming response to its consultation on the matter. Whatever they choose will be controversial - broadcasters want to use it for HD channels, while mobile phone companies are eager to get their hands on it for new features like, erm… mobile television. The results of the consultation will now be released in the Autumn.

Wales and the North lead digital take-up

The results of Ofcom's 2006 survey show that Wales has the highest proportion of digital television viewers. 82% of homes enjoying digital TV in the country, followed by 76% in Scotland, 75% in England, and 69% in Northern Ireland. The UK average is 75%. Within England, the North leads take-up of digital with an average of over 78%, compared to London and the South East where the average is around 70%.

ITV: Lend us a multiplex, Gov!

The chairman of ITV has made an audacious offer to the Government in a bid to secure more DTT capacity. Michael Grade has suggested that Freeview will face a big problem a few years down the line because it doesn’t have the capacity to carry High Definition programming. As a solution, he suggests the Government “loan” ITV (and possibly other commercial broadcasters) more capacity to broadcast using a more efficient transmission system. Once everyone has switched over to the new system, the “old” (existing) Freeview spectrum can be sold off. In other words, it’s digital switchover take two. The idea is completely ridiculous, but you can’t fault him for trying.

BBC Trust to decide on BBC HD channel

The BBC Trust have launched their “public value test” into the BBC HD channel, currently only available as part of a trial on DTT. If approved, the BBC will officially launch the full service on satellite and cable and an overnight stream of the channel on DTT, using bandwidth from multiplex B (allowing viewers with compatible equipment to record programmes for later viewing). A decision is expected in November. The trial will continue to broadcast until then.

S4C launch kids channel consultation

As reported earlier in the year, Welsh-language broadcaster S4C is to launch a consultation into launching a children’s channel. The service, which would be available on Freeview in Wales, follows the trend of terrestrial stations shifting kids programmes onto dedicated channels.

Freeview Playback website launched

Freeview Playback, the new brand representing Freeview PVRs, now has its own dedicated website at freeviewplayback.co.uk.

Sky’s subscription plans dealt blow by Ofcom

A consultation into Sky’s plans to replace its three Freeview channels with a new 4-channel subscription package on DTT have been delayed by the media regulator Ofcom. Three aspects of the proposal are being investigated: the terms of Sky’s broadcast licence; the use of new compression technology; and the plurality of news services available on Freeview: the removal of Sky News from Freeview would leave only one rolling news channel, BBC News 24. In a statement, Ofcom said "Additional information is required before the formal application process can begin. Ofcom has asked the parties to provide this information. When Ofcom has received the information, Ofcom plans to launch a consultation on the proposals."

Digital UK launch teletext aerial test

Viewers can test the strength of their existing television reception using Digital UK’s new switchover aerial test. Available on page 284 via Ceefax on BBC One and BBC Two, Teletext on ITV1 (analogue) and Channel 4 (analogue), and Sbectel on S4C, the test is designed to predict the suitability of reception for DTT post-switchover.

BT Vision to launch advertising campaign

BT Vision will unveil it’s first ever marketing campaign at the weekend when television advertisements for the service begin. So far, the Freeview plus broadband service has only been given a “soft-launch” to allow the company to sort out any technical flaws with the service before a high-profile launch later this year.

BT bid for Switchover assistance contract

The bidders for the contract to operate the BBC’s £600 million switchover help scheme for the elderly, disabled and poor have been revealed. BT, Capita, EAGA and Vertex have all put their names forward: the winner will be decided by the BBC Trust later this year.

On-screen captions: get ready, Whitehaven

Viewers in Whitehaven, the first place in the UK to switch to digital, will see on-screen captions on all analogue television channels from next week warning them about the switchover. BBC Two analogue will be switched off on October 17, followed by the remaining three analogue channels by November 14.

BBC and ITV to launch Freesat

Less than an hour after the BBC Trust approved plans for the BBC to launch a digital satellite equivalent of Freeview, the Corporation and ITV have announced plans to launch Freesat by Spring 2008. The two broadcasters have been working behind-the-scenes for months with box manufacturers to ensure the technology is in place: there will be a choice of SD and HD boxes, and around 300 television and radio channels are expected to be available. Satellite coverage is around 98%, compared to 75% DTT coverage, so the new platform is designed to offer free digital television to those currently unable to get Freeview.

BBC invent HD bandwidth transmission system

The BBC’s Research and Development team have invented a new transmission method for delivering twice the bandwidth that can currently be delivered via each DTT frequency. In very over-simplified terms, 2 signals are sent on the same frequency in slightly different directions and at slightly different times. Don’t expect HD just yet, though: the “spatially multiplexing” requires new transmitters to be built and you’ll need a new aerial and box. Still, sounds exciting, doesn’t it.

Freeview overtakes Sky in digital homes

More people in the UK now watch digital television via Freeview than through Sky satellite, according to the latest figures. 11 million homes now have access to DTT, with 8.2 million relying exclusively on Freeview for access to digital television.

Freeview Playback launched

Freeview have officially unveiled the Freeview Playback brand of digital television recorders today, allowing customers to replace their existing analogue recorders which will become virtually obsolete after switchover. Playback-stickered machines will be available in the shops from next month, retailing at around £130.

Thomas Cook TV launches on Freeview

Thomas Cook TV has launched on Freeview channel 41. A placeholder for the channel appeared this afternoon, which will broadcast between 19:00 and 22:00 daily (although broadcasts did not begin until around 21:00). The placeholder for TCM has been removed from channel 25, but no other channel changes have occurred.

Thomas Cook TV to launch on Freeview

Thomas Cook TV plan to launch on Freeview on April 17, in place of TCM (Top Up TV) between 19:00 and 22:00 daily. It is assumed the remaining hours vacated by TCM will be used for Anytime programming. According to a company e-mail, there will also be an EPG re-shuffle to accommodate the recent Top Up TV line-up changes.

Border region switchover details revealed

Ofcom has published the first edition of the Digital Switchover Transmitter Details document for the Border region. It details the frequencies to be used by the six post-switchover multiplexes, which will be re-named PSB (Public Service Broadcasters) 1-3 and COM (Commercial broadcasters) 4-6 from the existing alphanumeric system.

TCM channel leaves Top Up TV on April 16

Turner Classic Movies will only be available on Top Up TV Anytime (and no longer broadcast as a linear channel) from April 16. The original Top Up TV service, now no longer available to new subscribers and reduced to £4.99/month for existing customers, will then be reduced to 2½ hours of Eurosport, 3 hours of UKTV Style, and 9 hours of UKTV Gold per day.

National Grid Wireless bought by Arqiva

National Grid Wireless (the owner of two Freeview multiplexes and the company responsible for the distribution of the BBC’s Freeview and radio services) has agreed to sell its business to Arqiva (the company that broadcasts multiplexes A and 2) for £2.5 billion. Arqiva bought their existing transmission sites from NTL for £1.27 billion back in 2004.

Teletext Cars closed?

Teletext Cars (channel 102) appears to have closed on Freeview, carrying nothing but a message directing viewers to their website. The move could be a capacity-saving move in preparation for the Teletext Extra service set to be launching soon.

Virgin Media launch DTT offering

Virgin Media have launched a range of new services to customers living outside cabled areas using a Freeview box to provide the television element of their packages. The Virgin-branded box is free to customers taking 8Meg broadband and the “Talk Anytime” package, and £40 to those taking the broadband service alone. Customers may purchase up to five additional set-top boxes.

Clyde 1 only a temporary replacement for 3C

Emap have confirmed that Clyde 1 is not a permanent replacement for closed country music station 3C. Emap said it would unveil a permanent replacement for the station - which it claimed “[lacked] the potential for scale or growth” - on Freeview and DAB within the next few months.