Broadband explained

Our comparison service will tell you what your best digital TV deals are based on availability, programme options and pricing.

Digital TV can be received in four ways, each one with its own features and providers. For more details,

please read our suggested articles.

• Digital cable TV

• Digital satellite TV

• Digital terrestrial TV through your aerial

• Digital ADSL TV

Digital cable TV

About 15 million homes in the UK have access to digital cable TV (as of summer 2006). The two main

digital TV companies are in the process of switching all of their services to digital cable TV. Digital cable

TV transmits a compressed digital TV signal along the digital cable TV provider's cable and to your home

through a set-top box. This cable can also be used for phone and broadband internet access.

Key features

• free telephone line

• internet access via your TV (limited sites only)

• TV email

• digital Teletext

• interactive services and games

• digital radio channels

Equipment required

To subscribe to digital cable TV you do not need a TV aerial. Instead, your digital cable TV company

will provide you with a set top box and a cable telephone line.

Digital satellite TV is transmitted via satellite direct to minidishes installed in homes. The signals are

compressed before transmission, and the digibox translates these to enable viewing of the TV channels and services.

Key features

• the widest choice of channels and service providers

• electronic programming guide (on screen programme information and listings)

• digital text and Teletext Holidays

• pay per view movies and events

• interactive services and games with Sky

• Active (phone line connection required)

• digital radio channels

Equipment required for satellite TV

To receive digital satellite TV you will require a minidish and digibox. If you do not wish to subscribe to

any Sky Digital packages, you may have to pay a higher installation cost. Eligibility and other terms apply.

Satellite services can potentially reach around 98% of UK households, but the potential level of coverage

can be affected by:

• your ability to receive signals. This may be impaired if a building, tree or other object blocks the line of sight between the minidish and satellite

• planning restrictions on the erection of satellite dishes, and restrictions found in covenants and tenancy agreements

Digital terrestrial TV is currently available to around 75% of the population. There are around 30 TV channels and 16 radio

stations available free to view (Freeview) – the so-called public services broadcasting channels (PSB). These include all of

the current analogue TV options, plus the BBC’s digital services. You can also access text based services such as BBCi and

Teletext. Viewers with suitably equipped set top boxes or IDTVs can also access pay TV services from Top Up TV, which

offers elements of 10 premium channels for a monthly fee.

Key features

• no monthly cost

• selected set top boxes can receive Digital Teletext

• electronic programming guide (on screen programme information and listings)

Equipment required

To receive digital terrestrial TV, you need a TV aerial and either an integrated digital TV (IDTV) or a set top box which

you can buy on the high street. Some set top boxes will have capabilities for digital Teletext and are upgradeable to Pay TV.

In areas of poor reception you may require an aerial upgrade.

Digital ADSL is a new way of downloading and transmitting data at high speed over existing phone wires, and is being

trialled in the UK. Companies such as Tiscali and Yes Television use it to transmit digital TV signals in limited areas of the UK.

Programmes are categorised into packages, e.g. films, sports and music. Subscription gives you access to all the programmes

held within each package which you can watch any time you choose.

Key features

• pay per view – hundreds of movies are available

• no monthly cost

• wide range of subscription packages

• video on demand – allows you to pause, stop, re-wind, and fast forward programmes

• PC based fast internet access

• bundle packages with broadband and phone calls

Equipment required for ADSL digital TV

providers install a set top box and modem connection to your existing phone socket. No dish, cable connection,

or video recorder is required.

ADSL coverage is restricted by the limitations of the phone network and the cost of extending the network.

Currently services are available in some parts of London and Stevenage (provided by Tiscali), and in the city

of Kingston upon Hull (KIT, provided by Kingston Communications). Data compression techniques are improving

and as higher speed broadband becomes available at more telephone exchanges, it is expected that TV via DSL

will become a more widely available option.