Ofcom sets out plans for DTT coverage on switchover

Ofcom recently set out coverage plans for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) transmission following digital switchover.
The communications watchdog has decided on an option that would allow 98.5% DTT coverage in the UK and has promised further research into increasing coverage further.
Ofcom said that anticipated DTT coverage plans will call for coverage to reach at least the same proportion of households (98.5%) after switchover as are reached by current analogue television broadcasts. This is designed to ensure that after switchover UK households continue to receive the nationally available public service television channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4/S4C).
The watchdog noted that as currently 1.5% of UK households (around 375,000 households) are unable to receive all four of the main public service television channels, it would undertake research to explore the means of bringing digital television to a higher proportion of UK households than the 98.5% presently reached by analogue.
Extra capacity for additional services on DTT for viewers which could be used for interactive services, radio, television or other services, such as High Definition television, will also be examined.
A spokesperson for Ofcom said that in reaching its final decision, it had taken into account "all responses received to its public consultation and all relevant statutory duties".
Ofcom consulted on a range of options relating to the technical conditions for DTT broadcasts in February 2005.
These technical conditions included analysis of the power levels, transmission mode and the number of transmitters to be used for DTT.
Ofcom, www.ofcom.org.uk.
(SP)