Third of TVs not digital converted

11:20am Monday 13th October 2008

Nearly one third of the UK's 60 million TV sets have still not been converted to digital, according to figures.

Most viewers have converted their main set to receive digital channels, through either Freeview, satellite or cable.

But around 18 million analogue TV sets, 30% of the total, are still in use.

The first large scale switchover begins on November 6, involving 52,000 homes on the Scottish Borders.

Digital UK, the body set-up to co-ordinate switchover, commissioned the research and collated figures on which areas are least ready for switchover.

Areas with the lowest proportion of sets ready for switchover include Yorkshire, Anglia, and STV North.

A report earlier this year found that one third of the population said they did not understand how to get ready for switchover.

The publication found that people were still buying analogue sets - 45% of all those sold in the first seven months of 2007.

Digital UK Chief Executive David Scott said: "While nearly nine out of ten homes have switched to digital on their main TV, it's no coincidence that many of the places lagging behind in the conversion of all sets are those where Freeview services are currently patchy."

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