Digital switchover is complete

Today marks the completion of the UK's switchover to digital television, with the last analogue transmissions – in Northern Ireland – being switched off at 23.30 tonight.

It ends more than 70 years of analogue TV broadcasts and means everyone in the UK should now have access to digital terrestrial TV, be it Freesat of Freeview.

The change will also see the end of Ceefax, after three decades of the text news service.

Viewers who need information on how to update their TV equipment in order to access digital channels should call Digital UK on 08456 50 50 50.

The spectrum freed up by digital TV switchover will be auctioned off at the end of this year to provide new 4G mobile networks.

90 years of analogue TV history – and how our Buying Guide played its part!

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Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.

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