Exeter is to get digital TV first

Devon and Cornwall's analogue TV will be switched off in 2009

Exeter is to be the first city in the UK to switch entirely to digital television, it has been announced.

Digital UK confirmed the change would happen in Exeter, south-east Devon, west Dorset and south-west Somerset in the second quarter of 2009.

The switchover will be made after modifications to the area's transmitter at Stockland Hill.

The rest of Devon and Cornwall will make the move to digital TV in the third quarter of 2009.

Signal bandwidth

Anyone without a digital television or set-top box will be unable to receive television channels.

Most of Exeter, and large parts of the surrounding area, cannot get digital television through an aerial - the Freeview service - at the moment.

But when the analogue TV signal is switched off almost everyone in the area will be able to receive digital TV in this way, as bandwidth taken up by analogue transmission is given over to digital broadcasting.

People will also be able to receive services through satellite and cable.

As well as the Stockland Hill transmitter, south Devon's Beacon Hill transmitter will also be changed during the second quarter of 2009.

In the third quarter of the year, switchover will occur at Huntshaw Cross transmitter for north Devon, the Redruth transmitter serving west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; and the Caradon Hill transmitter, which serves much of Cornwall and Devon, including Plymouth.

The UK switchover is due to start in the Borders TV region in 2008.

But despite the city of Carlisle being in the Borders region, its complete switchover will not take place until after Exeter in 2009.

This was because of a phased roll-out of transmitter modifications, Digital UK - the independent body leading the switch to digital - said.