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The mobile networks are blowing money on 4G again, only this time it’s not on masts or coverage — it’s to make sure interference from new transmitters doesn’t ruin our enjoyment of Antiques Roadshow.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has revealed that mobile networks that win the right to operate 4G services in the UK will invest £180m on creating a help scheme to fix telly breaking problems, which could be caused by interference from 4G networks obliterating Freeview signals.
Houses in interference areas will receive a filter for their Freeview box, with help fitting these filters supplied to the disabled and the over 75s. Rather worryingly, the DCMS warns that problems might be so bad for some they “may need to change platform,” in which case the scheme will pay for you to switch from Freeview to cable or satellite.
And if that’s impossible, “up to £10,000 per household” may be invested to solve issues in each problem household. That’s how important telly is to us as a nation. [DCMS via ThinkBroadband]
Image credit: Old TV from Shutterstock
Maybe the way to fix it would be to give people who are affected TV’s that stream channels over 4G.
I like this suggestion. Would probably come well below the £10k set out for the scheme, too.
Or 1Seg. You know, what South America and Japan had since 2006.
That’s pretty decent of them, better the denying blame and telling them to deal with it.
Have any of Giz’s intrepid 4G testers got freeview and can confirm that it does interfere?
I assume this only affects people who live right near a 4G transmitter and not most users in general. I was going to say something about waving the dongle around a receiver, but let’s just say that there’s no interference.