Communal Aerial Upgrade Consultation - Norwich City Council

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Report Context 1. The Council is responsible for providing a communal TV aerial system to 9,900 properties, or 53% of the housing stock, (mainly flats but also a number of houses) including both tenants and leaseholders. These systems were designed to carry five television channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) transmitted in the traditional, analogue format. The distribution systems are not capable of transmitting digital channels from the terrestrial (Freeview) and the satellite (Sky and others) broadcasters. This means that from 2011 when the analogue television signals are switched off in the Anglia region, in favour of digital transmission, the existing communal television aerials will cease to deliver a television signal. 2. Due to the popularity of digital television in the UK, over 63% of UK homes now have digital television of one form or another, this has caused the gradual proliferation of aerials and satellite dishes attached to houses and flat blocks within Norwich City. Permission from Norwich City Council and the Planning Directorate should be obtained before any aerial or dish is erected, but many installations are carried out without these permissions. 3. Because most new televisions have integral digital capability and Freeview settop boxes can be bought for as little as £30, there are an increasing number of residents and leaseholders requesting the capability of receiving digital broadcasts, and the level of complaints received by the Council is increasing. 4. The implication of digital switchover is that all landlords must decide on a planned response to the switch-off of analogue broadcasting in the UK. There is no suggestion from Government that the landlord costs will be met from any additional funding – although the DCMS have made reference to financial and practical help for the elderly (over 75) and other vulnerable groups in society – funded from the BBC license fee. An announcement will be made in due course on how this support will operate but it is unlikely that social landlords will qualify. 5. Some 20% of homes in the UK receive television signals though communal aerials – so it affects flatted housing stock across the whole of the UK. The DCMS say that 95% of Local Authorities and 74% of RSLs own or manage properties with communal TV systems. In a survey carried out by the DCMS, in February 2005, it was found that 37% of LAs and 50% of RSLs have made no start to the improvement of their aerial systems. This all means that as the switchover timetable approaches it will become increasingly difficult for landlords to find aerial contractors with a good track record of installing digital television distribution systems. There will be an industry skills shortage. Given this and customer demand there is therefore the need to plan now for the distribution of digital television signals in our housing stockwell ahead of the “switch-off”. 6. Appendix A gives the background to the digital television and the platforms currently available.
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Communal Aerial Upgrade Consultation - Norwich City Council

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