Cable
Cable also broadcasts using standard (PAL) signals though often scrambled to prevent people watching the channels without paying a subscription.
Cable has not fully transitioned to the digital format (DVB-C) as some parts of the physical cable network are not suitable for transmitting the digital signals. As a result, analogue cable television is still active in some parts of the country, only in ex-NTL areas (most notably Milton Keynes), as ex-Telewest areas have all switched off in January 2012.
Before any area had analogue TV switched off, all analogue TV customers in the area received a letter from Virgin Media offering a free switch to their digital TV service. If the customer chose not to migrate to digital, they would've lost all TV channels when the switch off occurs.
Customers with the cable feed plugged directly into their TV or have an RF bypass installed, which allows them to watch the analogue terrestrial channels independent of their set-top box, will also cease to receive channels when the analogue signal is switched off. Customers will still be able to receive channels via their digital set-top box. In some parts of the network where digital cable is available, analogue transmissions have been ceased in order that the bandwidth may be utilised for more data for the digital platform, in others both systems run alongside each other, though often new channels will launch on digital at the expense of channels on the older analogue network, which encourages those users to switch.
A TV that is capable of tuning frequencies used for cable is required for watching, plus note that no channels are receivable in Ex-Telewest areas as Virgin Media have stopped their analog television in these areas.
Read more about this topic: Analogue Television In The United Kingdom
Famous quotes containing the word cable:
“To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars.”
—Douglass Cross (b. 1920)