The UK's analogue TV era will come to an end on October 24, 2012, it was announced today.
Eighty years from the first experimental broadcasts, the old five-channel system will be switched off for good.
The digital television switchover started in 2008, giving millions of viewers extra channels and clearer pictures. There are just four million people left in Britain watching analogue TV, according to Digital UK.
All set for the future: The digital switchover has been taking place for the past few years, with 23million households now enjoying multi-channel TV
This map shows the areas that have already converted to digital TV and those that have yet to switchThere are five regions yet to make the switch: London, Meridian, Anglia, Tyne Tees and Northern Ireland.
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It’s estimated that over 23million households in Britain now have digital TV on their main set.
Announcing the end-date for analogue TV and switchover, David Scott, Digital UK chief executive, said:
‘The analogue era was a defining period for TV but the fully digital age will be even better, with a greater choice of channels for viewers everywhere.
‘I'm looking forward to October next year when we will have brought the benefits of digital to every corner of the country.’The first experimental analogue television broadcasts started in August 1932.
The technology was officially launched by the BBC in 1936 and went on to inform and entertain viewers with coverage of landmark events such as the moon landings and classic shows from Nationwide to Morecambe and Wise.
At its conclusion in 2012, inside the timetable set out by Government, more than 15million new viewers will have been brought into coverage for Freeview services, Digital UK said.
Households in many parts of the UK are currently unable to receive multi-channel TV services.
Switching off the existing analogue broadcasting system will create the capacity necessary to extend coverage to the whole country.
Broadcasting in digital format is also a more efficient way to transmit television signals and will free up airwaves for new services such as ultra-fast wireless broadband and mobile television.
The organisation added it was on course to complete the project at least £53million under budget.
The last analogue TV signals will be switched off in Northern Ireland where ‘virtually all’ households will receive the new digital signal ‘including half-a-million viewers who cannot receive it now’
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