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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Shauna Corr

Northern Ireland television sets will need to be retuned

If you use digital terrestrial television to catch up on your favourite shows, you will need to retune your box next week.

So if you can't bear to miss the latest episode of Corrie on UTV or lose out on seeing Tommy Shelby's latest antics in BBC's Peaky Blinders, read on.

Our terrestrial television channels are being moved to different frequencies to make room for new 5G transmissions for mobile phones.

So those using a Freeview box or an aerial in Northern Ireland to watch the soaps will need to get the remote out and have a tinker following the update.

A release from Digital UK says: "Following a decision by Ofcom, spectrum in the 700MHz UHF band currently used for digital terrestrial television (DTT) is being reallocated for the development of future mobile services.

"Some DTT multiplexes will be moving to new broadcast frequencies as a result of this change.

"Freeview viewers - and those with other services that use Freeview channels, such as YouView - will need to retune their TV equipment when changes take place in their area."

5G Cell Tower (Getty)

For people across Northern Ireland, the changes are being rolled out on September 4, and some of you may even find you need a new aerial fitted to pick up the signal.

It is not recommended that you rush out and buy one until after the changes are complete and you know that you definitely need one.

But in case you do "Digital UK recommends installers fitting new aerials use a wideband model where possible to accommodate future changes to broadcast frequencies".

Those using satellite, cable or IPTV systems will  not be affected by the changes, which could also hit RTÉ reception in some areas.

This is when you need to retune:

Tower

Area served

Retune date

Divis

Belfast and surrounding area

4 September 2019

Brougher Mountain

SW Northern Ireland

4 September 2019

Limavady

NW Northern Ireland

4 September 2019

CLICK HERE for more information.

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