Selkirk switchover successful, says Arqiva

The Selkirk group of transmitters has successfully undergone the first phase of digital switchover, Arqiva has confirmed.

Analogue broadcasts of BBC Two from the main Selkirk transmitter on channel 62 were switched off at 31 minutes past midnight this morning, with the signal for BBC multiplex A - public service multiplex 1 - replacing it at 02:16. Full testing of the new digital signal was complete at 05:00. Eleven relay transmitters at Bonchester Bridge, Clovenfords, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Hawick, Innerleithen, Jedburgh, Lauder, Peebles, Stow and Yetholm were successfully broadcasting the digital multiplex by 10:05.

"We are pleased to confirm that all transmitters in the Selkirk transmitter group have successfully completed the first stage of digital switchover," said Peter Heslop, digital switchover programme director at Arqiva. "This is an ambitious broadcast engineering project which will see 1154 sites switch over during the next four years and Arqiva is extremely proud to be supporting the government and Digital UK in this project. As a result of digital switchover, free digital terrestrial television will be available to almost all of the UK through a roof-top aerial, just as analogue terrestrial television has been for decades."