TELEVISION viewers in Bolton and the rest of the North-west will switch to digital TV in 2009, the Government has announced.
The analogue signal, which has been used for decades, will be turned off as part of a nationwide scheme to make digital TV compulsory.
Culture secretary Tessa Jowell has announced a support scheme to help people to cope with the change.
She said the government would provide help with equipment and installation and there would be follow-up support for people aged 75 and over and people with significant disabilities.
The scheme will be funded by the BBC through the licence fee.
From 2009 in the Granada region, only those who have digital televisions or a digital receiver plugged into their existing set will be able to watch programmes.
They will have access to the many free-to-air channels including BBC3, BBC4, ITV2, ITV3, Sky News, Sky Sports News, E4 and ABC1.
The Granada region would be the fourth in the country to make the switch, following Border, West Country and HTV Wales which will turn off analogue signals in 2008.
Around 60 per cent of Bolton already has digital television through cable satellite and freeview.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article