TV ANTENNA: More disruption as it needs replacing (From Oxford Mail)

TV ANTENNA: More disruption as it needs replacing

6:50am Wednesday 26th May 2010 in

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HOUSEHOLDS could face months of disrupted television signals because Oxfordshire’s main aerial was ‘damaged beyond repair’ in a fire two weeks ago.

Arqiva, the company carrying out the county’s digital switchover, could not say whether it would take days, weeks or months to find and fix a new antenna to the mast at Beckley, near Oxford.

It could also not reassure viewers, some of whom have already been without BBC and ITV channels for months, that a full signal will be restored before England’s first World Cup game against the USA is aired on June 12.

The fire broke out at the mast on Thursday, May 13, leaving up to 410,000 homes without television signals for about eight hours.

Cable and satellite customers are unaffected by the work, but other viewers have already reported months of difficulty receiving BBC and ITV channels because engineers had to use a reserve antenna with a weaker signal as they upgraded the mast in preparation for the digital switchover.

Work was due to be completed in early May, but the fire has caused Arqiva to continue using the reserve antenna.

Last night, the company could not shed any light on when the problems would be resolved.

A spokesman added: “It is now clear that the main TV transmitting antenna on the Beckley mast was damaged beyond repair during the fire on May 13.

“A complete replacement antenna is being procured, and this will be installed and commissioned as soon as possible.

“Meanwhile, TV services from this site will continue to be transmitted from the reserve antenna, as they have been since February this year.

“We apologise for the ongoing inconvenience caused to viewers.”

Heather Morris, of Old Marston, Oxford, who has been experiencing reception problems since February, said the level of information given to viewers was appalling.

She added: “I don’t think much of it at all. They go on and on about how brilliant digital TV will be, and how there’ll be no problems with it. Well, there have been huge problems.”

Tony Augarde, of Carlton Road, Oxford, said he knew of people who had spent more than £300 ordering a new aerial because of confusion about the problem.

He added: “We should have been informed about the possibility of disruption before the work started.

“The information provided has been very inadequate.”