Tessa Jowell has described the UK’s progress towards analogue switch-off as astonishing – yet Ofcom has warned that it’s running late: two years late.
Stephen Carter, chief executive of Ofcom has said that 2012 is a much more realistic date for the goal of 95% of homes with digital TV.
“If you want to turn the analogue signal off in 2010, you have to start making the transmitter deployment and regional deployment decisions in 2006, which means that you have to have done all the planning in 2005 – that’s next year.” Carter said. Carter believes that the BBC’s new estimate of 2012 is more likely.
Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture has previously stated that the UK has been making great progress towards a planned 2010 switch-over.
A Department of Trade and Industry survey has found that, although 52% of home in the UK can receive digital television, 25% cannot – and 13% refuse to convert. Many are possibly thinking of converting nearer the time, but the huge scale of the operation means that planning and adoption needs to happen as early as possible to meet the 2010 target.