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Social housing sector makes encouraging progress towards digital conversion – but there is need for further progress reveals survey

013/05 4th February 2005

A survey published today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport shows that local authorities, housing associations and other registered social landlords are taking action to upgrade communal TV systems in response to the strong growth in digital television. But there is need for further progress, given that less that 20% of social landlords have completed upgrade work on all their communal TV systems.

The survey’s main findings are

- 83% of social landlords have made plans or started to upgrade their TV reception systems to digital.

- 59% of local authorities and 47% of registered social landlords (RSLs) have started to upgrade their systems.

- nearly one in three landlords have already upgraded over 30% of their communal TV systems

Commenting on the report Broadcasting Minister Andrew McIntosh said

“The Digital Television Action Plan highlighted the conversion of communal TV systems as a key challenge in the move to digital-only broadcasting. It is encouraging that the social housing sector has started to act and is making preparations to ensure residents have access to digital TV services. But whilst a majority of social sector landlords have now started work to upgrade TV systems, the 37% of local authority and 50% of registered social landlords that have yet to upgrade systems need to do so.”

The research also examined the expected timings for completion of the digital conversions:

• Of those landlords who have started their upgrades, about 90% say they will be completed by 2012.
• Of those landlords who have not yet started to upgrade, around a third are waiting for clarity on the digital switchover timetable before beginning.
• However, even among those landlords who have yet to begin, more than four out of five say that they will be ready before the 2008 - 2012 switchover.

Andrew McIntosh added:

“Ensuring the timely digital conversion of communal housing is something we will need to follow closely as plans for digital switchover are implemented.

“We hope that the extensive work and relationship-building between the broadcasting industry, Government and the housing sector has helped to communicate accurate information about switchover. I urge the housing sector not to wait for an announcement on switchover to act, as we know now that digital switchover will happen. They should act sooner rather than later.”

Notes to editors

1. The research was carried out by NOP World using quantitative telephone (CATI, Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing) methodology. A total of 684 interviews were carried out between October 4th and November 12th 2004 using a sample of local authority landlords and Registered Social Landlords (this includes all UK housing associations) in Great Britain. Eligible respondents were senior decision-makers in managing housing stock and communal TV systems.

2. A full copy of the findings is available at the following link: Communal TV Systems and Digital Switchover - A Report for DCMS by NOP World

3. The Government is working with broadcasters and other stakeholders to develop plans for digital switchover. Switchover will take place on a region-by-region basis, taking at least four years after first switch-off. The Government has not yet confirmed the timetable for switchover, although indications from broadcasters and industry are that completion is likely by 2012. Whenever switchover takes place, most communal TV systems will need to be converted by that time to receive digital signals for residents to continue to receive television signals. The NOP World research shows the level of work that has been carried out since digital television was launched back in 1998.

4. In order to help the housing sector, DCMS has convened the Digital Switchover – Housing Communications Group, with representation from a number of major housing bodies including the Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation, the Local Government Association, the National Landlords Association as well as tenants groups. The group is currently developing guidance in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing to give advice to the housing sector of the options available to upgrade systems to digital and prepare for digital switchover.

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