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The UK Government initiated the Switchover Help Scheme in 2005, tasked to the BBC, to assist older and disabled people as the country transitions to digital television from 2008 to 2012. This scheme aims to provide practical support, including user-friendly equipment, installation, and demonstrations, ensuring no eligible person is left without access to TV. Eligibility includes individuals over 75, those receiving disability benefits, or registered blind. The scheme is designed with user experience in mind, addressing the needs of an estimated 7 million affected individuals.
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The Digital Switchover Help Scheme Nick Tanton BBC
The Switchover Help Scheme • In 2005 the UK Government asked the BBC to manage a scheme to ensure that older and disabled people are not left behind as the country switches to digital television. • UK is switching to digital television region by region between 2008 and 2012.
Purpose of Scheme • To provide practical help to older and disabled people to make the switch to digital TV. • To make sure no eligible person is left with a blank screen after switchover.
Who is eligible ? • People are eligible for help if : • they are aged 75 or over, • they have lived in a care home for 6 months or more, • they get “Disability Living Allowance”, “Attendance Allowance”, “Constant Attendance Allowance” or “Mobility Supplement”, • or • they are registered blind or partially sighted.
What help do eligible people get ? • People who choose to take help get : • a choice of easy-to-use DTV equipment, • installation of the equipment and a demonstration of how to use it, • a new aerial or dish if necessary • and • free aftercare for 12 months.
How much does it cost ? • Support from the Help Scheme costs £40 for the standard offer although this is free to eligible people who are on various forms of income benefit. • The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC through an agreement with the UK Government . It is funded out of the BBC licence fee.
Consultation • Understanding and fulfilling the needs of our eligible people • Code of Service Standards - a comprehensive range of 91 promises of the service eligible people might expect (eg. all calls handled by trained people, choice of formats for communications, face-to-face help if needed etc.) • Continual stakeholder consultation and user feedback • Regular market research • Understanding those hardest to reach
The scale of the Scheme • commenced in 2007 • switchover in the UK runs from 2008 until 2012 • there are 15 regions (7 completed by May 2011) , • an estimated 7 million eligible people • so far over 5.5 million have been mailed • over 700,000 installations have been completed • we’re currently doing > 30,000 per week • we expect to have done a total of more • than >1.6 million by the end of 2012
The equipment (1) • designed with our eligible people in mind • the “Core Receiver Requirements”* specification sets a standard of user-experience without constraining innovation or commerce • straightforward and easy to use and to support post-installation • * developed in consultation with stakeholder groups such as RNIB, RNID, Age UK etc
The equipment (2) • universal remote with a premium standard of useability • user-feedback (visual and audible) • clear, short and uncluttered menus • platform compliant • value for money
Universal remote • high-contrast buttons with a positive feel • well-separated buttons • buttons grouped by function • one-touch subtitles • one-touch AD • a “home” button
User-friendly service discovery (1) • Retuning is already a recognised challenge to all TV viewers. • A significant number of viewers get some DTT signals before their analogue TV signals are switched off. • Transmitter frequency & power changes, service moves and the addition of new services present an unaccustomed broadcast environment for the viewer, especially to our eligible people. • How do we make retuning easy ?
User-friendly region selection (1) • DTT signals know no frontiers. • It has been estimated that over 600,000 households in London alone can see DTT signals from more than one transmitter. • Of these it is estimated that over 400,000 households can see DTT signals from more than one TV region. • How do we make it easy for you to choose your preferred version of a regional channel ?
In summary • Accessibility and useability features don’t have to be expensive. • Although the Switchover Help Scheme focuses on part of the population, the features we have encouraged and developed suit everyone. • There is a wealth of experience in delivering an improved user-experience to the domestic TV environment. • nick.tanton@bbc.co.uk