The government, the BBC and digital TV

rick_x

I'm sure many of you are sick and tired of the major hype that the BBC are making with regards to it's digital TV and radio services (patronising adverts in nearly every BBC break). However the real issue is that they should be spending all the money they're using on promotion to actually make the system available to all.

You see I live in Coventry (less than two miles from BBC Coventry actually) and I can't receive Freeview or digital radio. Do I live in a remote are in the sticks, no, do I have an ancient aerial, no. When I contacted the BBC they told me 'Oh, yes, there's variable coverage there, try sky (£150) or cable (not available), but the transmitter will be upgraded in 2011 (only 5 years to go).

Not being happy with this (as I already had two freeview boxes when I moved to the area) I contacted my local MP who appeared sympathetic and contacted both the culture secretary and the director general of the BBC. Both gave nondescript, pointless replies that suggested I get sky (or wait 5 years). The letter from the director general was especially shirty at my suggestion that I should pay less of a license fee due to my reduced service provision.

Normally I would support the BBC and the license fee but this whole fiasco means that I am all for scrapping this unfair tax that forces all the families on our road to pay for sky to get the channels they already pay for.

Astaroth

As a general question, as I honestly dont know the answer, does the BBC actually own the masts etc that broadcast the signals? As far as I was aware ITV/ C4 etc normally come from the same mast and so I assumed that they were owned by a 3rd party company rather than any of the channels themselves

pin

Give it some time. Ditigal TV and more to the point, radio is fantastic.

You can pick up the radio off the internet.

Norbert_Colon

Normally I would support the BBC and the licence fee

I used to feel just the same until they started demanding that I pay extra money on top for a digital box, in order to receive the same programmes with logos and 'press the red button' text plastered on top of them.

Altarf

Astaroth wrote:

As a general question, as I honestly dont know the answer, does the BBC actually own the masts etc that broadcast the signals? As far as I was aware ITV/ C4 etc normally come from the same mast and so I assumed that they were owned by a 3rd party company rather than any of the channels themselves

The transmitter masts are owned by National Grid Wireless, who bought them from Crown Castle.

http://www.uk.nationalgridwireless.com/aboutus.shtml

kazzy

we are in Poole and do not get freeview in our area of Poole.Why should we continue to pay the same license fee as people that can get f/view?Why did we have to pay to get sky installed and pay a ridiculous subscription.We just accept it and carry on being ripped off regardless.It's a con

kazzy

gizmoleeds wrote:

While I understand your annoyance, there is really nothing that can be done. Once the old signal is switched off you should be able to get Freeview.

Apart from reducing our license fee.That would reduce my annoyance!!

nic_santorini

I have had freeview in the same house for 4 years now and have a brand new freeview integrated television. During the past 6 months the signal is awful and I can no longer recieve any ITV channels and sometimes no BBC channels. My neighbour told me they had the same problem and it was due to the fact that there were many more users than there were 6 months ago and 'they' (whoever 'they' are) need to increase the signal but have not. You would think Sky would be better but this is also starting to break up and we have to revert back to the non digital old fashioned aerial signal. It is so annoying when we are paying so much for the televisions, licences and subscriptions.

Fifer

nic_santorini wrote:

My neighbour told me they had the same problem and it was due to the fact that there were many more users than there were 6 months ago and 'they' (whoever 'they' are) need to increase the signal but have not.

I suspect he was pulling your plonker or that someone was pulling his ...