Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off will begin in 2008 according to a tentative timetable for the process published by media regulator Ofcom.

Ofcom's timetable proposes a gradual switchoff by ITV franchise area:

2008: Border, Westcountry, HTV Wales
2009: Granada, HTV West, Grampian TV, Scottish TV
2010: Central, Yorkshire, Anglia
2011: Meridian, Carlton/LWT, Tyne Tees, Ulster
2012: Channel

The switchover would occur in each region over a six-month period. It assumes that in each region, three of the frequencies currently used to broadcast BBC1, BBC2, ITV1 and Channel 4 in analogue would be re-used for the three digital public service multiplexes - the BBC's multiplexes, 1 and B, and multiplex 2, the joint-venture multiplex from ITV and Channel 4.

Ofcom explained:

"The transition process would begin with one analogue service being replaced by a digital multiplex service (carrying the digital version of that analogue service plus a number of other public service channels). This digital multiplex will be broadcast throughout the region (on all main stations and relays) with sufficient power to replicate the coverage of the analogue broadcasts across the entire region. The other analogue services will continue to be broadcast and the remaining analogue-only viewers will have a number of months to make arrangements for watching television after the switch-off by means either of digital terrestrial, satellite or cable services.

"At the end of this transition period the remaining PSB digital multiplexes will move to their new high coverage assignments and the remaining analogue broadcasts in that region will be switched off. At this point the other three commercial multiplexes will also move to new high power frequencies at the sites that they intend to adopt at switchover."

SwitchCo, the organisation being formed to manage the transition, will launch later this year. The tentative timetable above is just that - tentative - and has not yet been confirmed by the government.