Sky wins TV licence cash to aid digital switchover

Rat

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The Digital Switchover Help Scheme has confirmed that it will be handing over licence fee money to BSkyB to supply "low-cost" set top boxes for older and disabled people in the first region in the UK to have its analogue terrestrial television signal switched off.

Sky has beaten competition including Freesat, the joint venture satellite service from the BBC and ITV, to win the SHS contract for the ITV Border region, which covers Cumbria and the Scottish borders.

Sky will provide and install digital satellite receiver equipment for a subsidised cost of £40, or free in some cases, with "extra" Sky TV channels and the Sky+ digital recording service for two months without charge.

At the end of two months, people can opt in to Sky's pay-TV channels or continue to get the free TV and radio services the satellite broadcaster offers.

The deal with Sky will only be valid for the ITV Border region. The DSHS tendering process will be repeated for switchover in each ITV region around the UK between now and the end of digital terrestrial TV switchover in 2012.

DSHS was set up by the government and is run by the BBC to use around £600m of ring-fenced licence fee money to make the transition easier for certain groups by converting one television in each eligible household to digital TV.

People yet to switch from analogue terrestrial TV will be offered the help if they are 75 or over or are eligible for certain disability benefits.

Those eligible for the scheme can choose from other "digital options", some of which cost extra, from providers including Freeview, Top Up TV and Freesat.

All options and prices are set out in an information pack sent to each household eligible for the DSHS scheme.

David Scott, chief executive of Digital UK, the body set up to oversee switchover, said: "I welcome [the] announcement by the Switchover Help Scheme, which provides a vital safety net for eligible viewers who need assistance making the transition to digital television. It will play a crucial role in ensuring that the switchover goes smoothly for viewers in the Border TV region."

The ITV Border region will be the first in the UK to switch completely to digital terrestrial television starting on November 6, with completion of the process in the area expected by June next year.

Digital switchover kicks off in earnest in the ITV Border region following last autumn's pilot scheme in the Cumbrian town of Whitehaven.

Mark sweeney The Guardian
 
GRRRRRRR...

Gonna have to stop making these posts rat, as im sure im not the only one who's blood boils when reading threads like this lol..

How can a company which is in profits of 500million+ get cash from the goverment to hand out free boxes..

Isnt it about time these type of companys start to hand out some of the cash they have stole off the public over the last 20 years back..

i mean what % are over 75 and are disabled in the first area to switch?? surely it cannot be high enough to dampen this companys profits....
 
GRRRRRRR...

Gonna have to stop making these posts rat, as im sure im not the only one who's blood boils when reading threads like this lol..

How can a company which is in profits of 500million+ get cash from the goverment to hand out free boxes..

Isnt it about time these type of companys start to hand out some of the cash they have stole off the public over the last 20 years back..

i mean what % are over 75 and are disabled in the first area to switch?? surely it cannot be high enough to dampen this companys profits....

Yea, especially SKY.
They'll be trying to get people to subscribe to their pay channels
 
they wont be trying to get people to subscribe at all, and the con is in the wording

sky will give people the boxes for free, with an active sky package for 3 months (example) IF you dont ring up to cancel the package then theyll start taking money from a bank account that you have to supply details of to get the 'free' kit in the first place. there is only one day in the 3 month period that you can cancel, and if its not done on that exact day, you are then tied into a 12 month contract, which is really 13 months as you have to have it a full 12 months BEFORE you can give your months cancellation notice

robbing fookers, i think its disgusting that the license fee can be used in this way
 
they wont be trying to get people to subscribe at all, and the con is in the wording

sky will give people the boxes for free, with an active sky package for 3 months (example) IF you dont ring up to cancel the package then theyll start taking money from a bank account that you have to supply details of to get the 'free' kit in the first place. there is only one day in the 3 month period that you can cancel, and if its not done on that exact day, you are then tied into a 12 month contract, which is really 13 months as you have to have it a full 12 months BEFORE you can give your months cancellation notice

robbing fookers, i think its disgusting that the license fee can be used in this way



I agree with that, but its the way of the world these days Money will always talk and somones on a nice back hander for this deal.:Cheers:
 
they wont be trying to get people to subscribe at all, and the con is in the wording

sky will give people the boxes for free, with an active sky package for 3 months (example) IF you dont ring up to cancel the package then theyll start taking money from a bank account that you have to supply details of to get the 'free' kit in the first place. there is only one day in the 3 month period that you can cancel, and if its not done on that exact day, you are then tied into a 12 month contract, which is really 13 months as you have to have it a full 12 months BEFORE you can give your months cancellation notice

robbing fookers, i think its disgusting that the license fee can be used in this way
But SKy is still bound by law to explain that the example package will continue and you will be liable for any charges after that point. As this would be a change to the terms of the contract, you are given a certain amount of time to cancel the sky portion of the package.
 
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