Digital switchover dates in the United Kingdom


The digital switchover is the process by which analogue terrestrial television in the United Kingdom was replaced with digital terrestrial television. It is sometimes referred to as the "analogue switch off".
In the United Kingdom, the terrestrial switchover started on 17 October 2007 and was completed on 24 October 2012. Each group of transmitters within each TV region had its analogue broadcasts switched off at a certain point between those dates. The process was co-ordinated by an independent body, Digital UK.

Switchover guide

Stage 1 – Known as DSO1 - Analogue BBC Two and low power digital Multiplex 1 switched off. High power Multiplex 1 switched on.
Stage 2 – Known as DSO2 - All remaining analogue channels and low power digital multiplexes switched off. Remaining high power digital multiplexes switched on.

Switchover dates

These are the dates at which switchover took place in each TV region, as published by Digital UK.

Technical trial

Border

Westcountry

TransmitterArea servedStage 1 date
Stage 2 date
Beacon HillSouth Devon8 April 200922 April 2009
Stockland HillSouth-west Somerset, parts of west Dorset and south-east Devon, including Exeter6 May 200920 May 2009
Huntshaw CrossNorth Devon1 July 200929 July 2009
RedruthEast Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly8 July 20095 August 2009
Caradon HillCornwall and Devon, including Plymouth12 August 20099 September 2009

Wales

Granada

West of England

STV North

Channel Islands

The Channel Islands' transmitters carry three of the DTT multiplexes – BBCA, D3&4 and BBCB. BBCA carries the BBC SD channels as elsewhere, the D3&4 mux carries ITV3 as of February 2012 in place of ITV1 +1, and BBCB carries BBC HD, BBC One HD and Channel 4 HD.

STV Central

TransmitterArea servedStage 1 date
Stage 2 date
TorosaySouth west Highlands and Islands13 October 201027 October 2010
DarvelParts of central Scotland, Argyll and Bute11 May 201125 May 2011
Rosneath HPRosneath11 May 201125 May 2011
Rosneath VPRosneath11 May 201125 May 2011
CraigkellyLothian, parts of Edinburgh and parts of Fife1 June 201115 June 2011
Black HillGlasgow, central Scotland and parts of Edinburgh8 June 201122 June 2011

Anglia

TransmitterArea servedStage 1 date
Stage 2 date
Sandy HeathCambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire30 March 201113 April 2011
SudburyParts of Suffolk and Essex6 July 201120 July 2011
TacolnestonNorfolk and north Suffolk9 November 201123 November 2011

Central

TransmitterArea servedStage 1 date
Stage 2 date
NottinghamThe Nottingham area30 March 201113 April 2011
BromsgroveThe Bromsgrove area6 April 201120 April 2011
Lark StokeStratford upon Avon area6 April 201120 April 2011
Ridge Hill Herefordshire and south Shropshire6 April 201120 April 2011
The WrekinNorth Shropshire and south Cheshire6 April 201120 April 2011
WalthamParts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and south Nottinghamshire17 August 201131 August 2011
FentonStoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme7 September 201121 September 2011
Sutton Coldfieldmuch of the West Midlands7 September 201121 September 2011
OxfordOxfordshire, parts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire14 September 201128 September 2011

Yorkshire

Meridian

London

Tyne Tees

UTV

Northern Ireland completed the digital switchover on the same day as the Republic of Ireland, with Northern Ireland switching off analogue transmissions shortly after midnight, and the Republic of Ireland shortly after 10am. Viewers in some areas are able to receive an additional multiplex of channels carrying RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and TG4. These are broadcast in DVB-T2, and despite not being in high definition, require a Freeview HD receiver. Viewers in much of Northern Ireland can receive these and other Irish channels directly from Saorview transmitters based in the Republic. As these are broadcast in MPEG4, a Freeview HD receiver is generally required, although a very small number of standard Freeview receivers are compatible. Almost all viewers in Northern Ireland are able to receive at least some channels from the Republic by one or both of these means.