Digital 3 & 4 has awarded Arqiva a£1bn contract to design, build and operate a new high-powered national digital terrestrial television (DTT) network that will carry ITV and Channel 4's main channels. [ALL]
Digital 3 & 4 has awarded Arqiva a £1bn contract to design, build and operate a new high-powered national digital terrestrial television (DTT) network that will carry ITV and Channel 4's main channels.

Arqiva now has responsibility for digital networks for all public service broadcasters, having previously announced deals with the BBC and ITV-owned SDN, which broadcasts Five.

The three contracts cover the roll-out of a network to all 1,154 UK terrestrial transmitter sites in preparation for digital switchover.

Under the latest deal, the network will supply 98.5% of the UK population and will carry ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, Channel 4, E4 and More4. The contract is set to run until 2034.

Digital 3 & 4's project director Mike Hughes said: 'This all-important contract will mean that ITV's and C4's terrestrial transmission costs will fall compared to today's levels as we transition to a fully digital network.

'This is a complex deal and we have total confidence that Arqiva will deliver according to our needs. It forms a crucial part of the [switchover] project and will ensure that these public-service channels are available to almost everyone in the UK through a roof-top aerial.'

Digital 3 & 4 is a consortium of regional ITV companies and Channel 4.

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