Digital Neighbourhood Project Launched

The ITC has unveiled plans for a pilot project aimed at addressing the two key issues thought to stand in the way of TV’s digital switchover: practical problems associated with converting households to all digital operations and people’s attitudes towards the use of digital equipment.

The project, called Go Digital, will see households in a trial location in the West Midlands being given full digital services, creating a “digital neighbourhood”. The attitudes and experiences of the householders will then be monitored to gain an insight into the issues involved with the digital revolution.

All households involved will have at least one digital TV receiver connected to an active return channel- a telephone line for digital, terrestrial and satellite, and a high speed broadband cable modem for digital cable. This will enable the occupants of the trial households to use the full range of interactive services offered by each platform.

Seventeen project partners will take even shares of the cost of the project. The partners span the broadcasting industry and Government and include BSkyB, Channel 4, retailer Dixons, ITV Digital and equipment manufacturer Sony.

A small sample of 30 households will be used in the initial project, beginning in September. The project members are committed to go on from this to convert a further 300.

The digital switch-off date has remained a subject for debate among broadcasters for the past few years, with the idea of the DCMS’ original 2010 deadline being given varying levels of credence with every piece of research published.

ITC: 020 7306 7743 www.itc.org.uk

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