Digital changeover dates in New Zealand


The digital changeover is the name given to the process by which analogue television in New Zealand was replaced with digital terrestrial television. It is sometimes referred to as the "analogue switch off".
In New Zealand, the switch off of analogue signals started in September 2012, with the digital switchover being completed in Hawke's Bay in the North island and the West Coast region of the South Island. The country's switch to digital terrestrial reception was completed on 1 December 2013 when analogue transmissions were switched off in the upper North Island.
During 2011–12, the digital terrestrial television network was extended to cover some six-sevenths of the country's people. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage's "Going Digital" group set up an assistance scheme for the first two regions which would complete the changeover, Hawke's Bay in the North island and the West Coast region of the South Island. Similar schemes were run in each region as its changeover date approached.

Switchover dates

These are the dates at which switchover took place in each region of New Zealand.
Note that area boundaries are based on transmitters - it is possible for someone on the fringe areas of a changeover region to pick up an analogue signal from another transmitter outside the region. For example. Blenheim and parts of Marlborough can pick up analogue television from Wellington's Mount Kaukau transmitter
RegionDescription of area coveredMajor transmitterDate and time of changeover
West CoastMost of the South Island's West Coast region and parts of the Tasman Region - Haast to Karamea, including Murchison, Saint Arnaud and MaruiaMount Murchison, Mount Rochfort, Paparoa30 September 2012
Hawke's BayCentral eastern North Island - Norsewood to TutiraMount Erin, Mount Threave30 September 2012
Remainder of the South IslandRemainder of the West Coast and Tasman Regions, all of the Southland, Otago, Canterbury, and Marlborough Regions, including the cities of Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and NelsonMount Campbell, Grampians, Kaikoura, Sugarloaf, Mount Mary, Cave Hill, Mount Studholme, Little Mount Ida, Obelisk, Mid Dome, Mount Cargill, Blue Mountains, Kuriwao, Hedgehope, Forest Hills29 April 2013
Southern North IslandAll of the Wellington, Manawatū-Whanganui region, and Taranaki RegionsKaukau, Fitzherbert, Baxters Knob, Popoiti, Otahoua, Ngarara, Forest Heights, Wharite, Mount Taranaki29 September 2013
East Cape-GisborneNortheastern North Island - Gisborne region and northern Hawke's Bay RegionWhakapunake29 September 2013
Remainder of the North IslandNorthern North Island, including the cities of Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, and Hamilton, plus TaumarunuiPuketutu, Maungataniwha, Hikurangi, Horokaka, Sky Tower, Waiatarua, Te Aroha, Ruru, Kopukairua, Pukepoto, Whakaroa, Tuhingamata1 December 2013