A national newspaper claimed on Sunday that a report it had obtained recommended that the government should bring forward the changeover from digital to analogue TV signals by subsidising or giving away digital decoding equipment to households. This would enable the auction of the analogue spectrum to occur as early as 2004, giving the government a war chest of around £50 billion and accelerating the introduction of digital television.
An auction of the analogue spectrum is expected to create even more of a windfall for the government than last year’s sale of mobile phone licenses. However, any advantage gained could be undermined if households are left without either an analogue signal or a digital decoder.
The digital switchover was originally planned to take place between 2006 and 2010. A target figure of 95% of the population was to have had digital equipment before the analogue signal was switched off. In order to achieve this the government is thought to be seeking a manufacturer which will produce decoders for no more than £25. A government spokesman said today that the government position on the subject, “remains as in September.”
