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Foreword

We at Ofcom (the Office of Communications) have been asked by Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to report on progress towards digital switchover. Digital switchover is the Government's ambition to switch off the traditional television signal that households have received through their TV aerials for many years and to replace it with a digital signal. This signal is also sent through the airwaves to TV aerials, but builds a TV picture from millions of ones and zeros.

Ms Jowell asked us to:

• evaluate the prospects for switchover within the next ten years if the Government decides not to take any further action to encourage digital TV;
• set out our views on how the nation could use spare airwaves after the switchover;
• list the main challenges that could prevent full switchover by 2010; and
• analyse the possible options to achieve switchover.

This report will particularly interest UK consumers and citizens because many will need to buy digital converter boxes to make sure that their TVs and video recorders continue to work after switchover. The Government, broadcasters, manufacturers of converter equipment and retailers will be interested in our policy recommendations, designed to smooth the path towards switchover.

Our report does not cover every issue in full. We have summarised some of the discussion of potential regulatory changes because the details will depend on the outcome of confidential negotiations between us, the Government and private companies. We have also not tried to measure the benefits of switchover for the UK because the Government has already done similar work that shows switchover would give a considerable boost to the UK's economy. We accept the thrust of the Government's analysis as long as we can make sure that the UK can put the spare airwaves to good use after the switchover takes place.

Since 29 December 2003, we have been the new regulator for the TV, radio, telecommunications and other communications industries. Assessing and driving digital switchover is one of our main tasks in 2004.

We have developed this plain English summary to help you understand the issues. It is not a formal or detailed account of our views. You can find our full report on our website at www.ofcom.org.uk

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