Work to restore digital TV services for Oxfordshire viewers after a fire at a mast in Beckley is expected to finish this month.
Essential work and testing is due to be completed at the TV mast between September 13 and 15, meaning daytime disruption to TV services for some viewers over the three days. Digital viewers have had signal problems since February, when engineers began work on the mast ahead of the 2011 digital switchover.
Some channels were switched to a reserve antenna with a weaker signal, but when engineers fitted a new antenna to the 170-metre tall structure in May a fire broke out on the mast and nearly half a million viewers lost reception for a number of hours. Work to repair the antenna has taken four months but assuming good weather, services should be back to normal power on Thursday, September 16, according to Digital UK, the company handling the digital switchover for the Government.
Peter Monteith, Central Regional Manager for Digital UK, said: ‘‘Digital UK would like to thank viewers for their patience while these essential works have been carried out in preparation for next year’s switchover, which will mean improved Freeview coverage in Oxfordshire.’’
Digital UK said the switchover would improve the quality of Freeview coverage around Oxford and make the service available for the first time to thousands of Oxfordshire viewers watching local ‘relay’ transmitters. The exact date of the switchover in 2011 will be announced later this month.
