[holding answer 7 July 2008]: Digital radio is available nearly universally across the United Kingdom over satellite and the internet, and over Freeview to approximately 73 per cent. of the population. But the principal means of receiving digital radio is on the digital audio broadcasting (DAB) platform and coverage varies between multiplexes: the two national multiplexes, one commercial and one BBC, and the 58 individual local multiplexes.
DAB coverage is principally measured by population rather than geographic area, but there is no single definition of a “minimum acceptable digital radio signal”. However, I understand that approximately 90 per cent. of the UK population currently have some access to DAB services on at least one multiplex. The BBC are in the process of building a number of new transmitters to ensure that their multiplex reaches at least 90 per cent. of the population by the end of this Charter period in 2012, and I have asked them to write to the hon. Member setting out the detail of their existing and planned coverage.
The coverage data which Ofcom have gathered in relation to the other multiplexes are set out in their Communications Market Report and are summarised in the following table. Data for 2008 are not yet available.
The Digital Radio Working Group has identified both population and geographic coverage as crucial to the success of DAB and I welcome their proposal to examine these matters further in working towards their final report to me at the end of the year.
UK England Scotland Wales N Ireland 2006 National commercial multiplex 86 89 76 53 0 Combined local commercial multiplexes1 89 92 92 73 100 2007 National commercial multiplex 88 93 76 67 0 Combined local commercial multiplexes n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a = not available 1 These figures show the potential coverage if rolled out to 100 of the licensed area.
At switchover, it is expected that UK-wide coverage levels for digital terrestrial television (DTT) will reach that of present analogue services which is 98.5 per cent. of households. Digital satellite services are available to 98 per cent. of UK households.
Ofcom has advised that the 1.5 per cent. of homes (approximately 375,000 households) who will not be able to receive a fully reliable digital terrestrial signal are overwhelmingly those not covered by the existing analogue terrestrial services and in general already obtain their television services from an alternative platform, such as satellite or using self-help transmitters.
Ofcom is continuing to look for ways to improve coverage in areas where they know there is likely to be a problem and to work with Digital UK to ensure that those affected know what their options are.
In their recently published Digital Television Update, Ofcom estimate that 87.1 per cent. (c. 22 million) of UK households had digital television at the end of Q1 2008.
A regional breakdown of these figures is not available.
Research suggests that age and disability are the most important indicators of lower digital TV take up and there is no evidence to indicate that cost of switchover is prohibitive or a barrier to conversion. Research by Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People suggested that low income alone is not likely to prevent people preparing for switchover.
There are a number of options for switching to digital and the cost will vary depending on what TV service and TV equipment is chosen. Digital terrestrial set top boxes, for example, start from around £20.