Eight in 10 homes have digital TV

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/sep/20/digitaltvradio.television

This article above from September 2007 shows that the preparations are taking place all over the UK; the public are getting ready before the switchover to avoid later hassle and confusion. Almost 85% of UK homes now have digital television on their main set as Freeview continues to attract converts from analogue TV. As said by Ofcom, this is up 13 percentage points over the year, the strongest 12 months' growth to date.
"More than four in five UK households are now enjoying the benefits of digital television," said Ofcom's chief executive Ed Richards.
"It's extremely encouraging that we are continuing to see the market grow strongly with less than a month until Whitehaven becomes the first place to fully switch to digital television."

The technology – chosen technology

My chosen technology is the digital TV switchover. It’s the process in which the UK’s old television broadcast signal (known as “analogue”) is being switched off and replaced with a “digital” signal. Any TV set that’s not converted to digital when the switchover takes place will no longer receive any TV programmes. Instead of the traditional five UK channels (BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Five) – or only some of them. Every TV set wanted to keep watching in your home will need to be converted or upgraded to digital.

The technology – how it is marketed

The technology is marketed nationwide. The switchover is a massive operation that will effect all residents in the UK. This means it has to be marketed into every home in the UK and must get the attention of all the residents too. The companies use adverts (TV and radio), billboards, papers, magazines and any other ways to reach all residents.

The technology – companies providing and cost

The companies that will provide digital programming for the switchover are Tiscali, Smallworld, Freeview, Virgin Media, Sky, Wight Cable, Top up TV, Freesat from Sky and BT Vision. The costs vary greatly from company to company and depending on the amount of channels the customer wants. There are one of payments as well as monthly subscriptions. The prices vary from £20 to £250.

The technology – push/pull technology

The switchover is very much a push/pull technology. The manufactures are pushing the technology out into the nation, and the public are happily pulling in the technology. There are very few down sides to this technology, so there is not much resistance on either side.

The technology – new or old media

The digital swithover is very much moving on from old media into new media. It’s a chance to improve and modernise everyday technology. Technology is getting increasingly more safisticated, quicker and smaller in every area, this swithover is an example of this. It will benefit millions of people worldwide (UK is not the only digital switchover country!) and provide a luxury to all TV owners that people with this modern age technology are able to have.

The technology – who developed it

There is no one person responsible for this switchover as is simply the result of improved technology. The view has been taken that if the technology is there to be used, then we might as well make the most of it.