Digital switch puts many out of picture

Todd Harding from Alliance AV shows the number of aerial antennas collected from homes around the Bay of Plenty region in the past six weeks. Photo/Ruth Keber

Bay residents are going weeks without television as they haven't switched to digital in time.

Sky and Freeview installers are still rushed off their feet with people needing to switch their TVs over and they say they expect the rush to continue until Christmas.

Aerial and Satellite Systems owner Kevin Port was surprised by the number of call-outs he was still receiving after the December 1 changeover from analogue to digital TV.

"There are definitely waves of it but I am still getting several call-outs a day at this time.

"It's amazing how people can't go without the TV for a day or two. I'm getting three to four call-outs a day, and considering I don't advertise, it's very surprising."

Mr Port said people were also discovering their elderly relatives had not been able to make the change and he was also anticipating people would soon be returning to their baches for the summer and finding the televisions not working.

Alliance AV owner Todd Harding was experiencing similar volumes of calls about switching to digital TV.

"It has been fairly consistent, from leading up to the changeover to just the last week."

"In the last six weeks we have collected six months' worth of aerial antennas," he said.

He said those who had yet to make the change would find the picture and sound quality of the new digital service was worth the expense.

To those who had not changed their televisions yet he said, "just do it".

Going Digital national manager Greg Harford said at the start of November there was still 8500 homes that had yet to go digital.

He said there were targeted assistance packages to help people who hadn't yet made the switch to digital.