GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES ROUTE MAP FOR DIGITAL TV

E-COMMERCE Minister Douglas Alexander and Broadcasting Minister Kim Howells have launched a three-month consultation on the management of terrestrial TV signals.
The consultation document published is another action point following the recent publication of the draft Digital TV Action Plan.
Digital TV brings a wide range of new interactive entertainment, education and information services to viewers. Already eight million homes in the UK benefit from the increased choice of programming and services and the improved quality of picture from digital TV.
The consultation seeks comments on the amount of spectrum, which should be allocated to digital TV in the future. The working assumption is that there will continue to be sufficient spectrum to support six multiplexes. Multiplexes are different transmission networks, which can each carry a number of different TV services at any one time. The BBC operates the first multiplex, others are each licensed to single operators with the second carrying ITV and Channel 4.
The consultation also invites comments on whether there should be a minimum level of geographical coverage for the multiplexes operated by the BBC and by ITV and Channel 4.
Kim Howells said: “We are planning now to free up spectrum in a way that maximises its potential. Broadcasters also want to know what spectrum they will be permitted to use after digital switchover so that they can invest wisely. That is why the consultation on spectrum planning aims to give everyone a chance to feed their views into the Government’s plans for the future use of the spectrum, in preparation for the completion of the switch to digital television.”
Switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial TV signals could start to happen as early as 2006 and be completed by 2010. (CD)