Freeview Bilsdale Transmitter Update

Freeview has just updated the latest advice for viewers affected by the Bilsdale transmitter fire.  You can read the full update on our service update article.  The latest includes updated advice for viewers in the following areas:

Viewers in and around Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Thornaby-on-Tees and Billingham

Switch on your TV and you should see some channels have returned. If you don’t see any channels or want to try to receive even more channels, please try an automatic retune by following the instructions on one of our videos.

In and around Darlington, Barnard Castle and Richmond

Switch on your TV and you may see some channels have returned if you’ve not retuned since you lost reception. If you have retuned in the last week, please repeat the retune to see whether some channels return. If they don’t return or if you have no channels despite not retuning since losing reception, then please wait while additional work is carried out to improve the signal.  Further work is underway to improve coverage to these areas, as well as Leyburn, Catterick, Masham and Ripon, which may be complete this week. We will update as soon as this is available.

Viewers served by the Peterlee, Whitby, Limber Hill and Guisborough relays

You should find some channels have returned if you have not retuned your TV since reception was lost. For those who have retuned since reception went missing, we advise retuning using our retune videos.

For all other affected viewers

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will be able to receive a signal until some point before 28th August. However, we are aware that some viewers have been able to watch some channels by carrying out an automatic retune. We would only recommend doing this if you are comfortable with how to do it from the instructional video. Please be advised that if you do retune now, you would need to retune again when the Bilsdale temporary transmitter comes online. For those viewers not comfortable with doing an automatic retune and who have not retuned at all since the fire, the plan to restart transmitting from Bilsdale involves channels returning without the need for an automatic retune.

Viewers can now sign up for alerts straight to their inbox from the link at the bottom of the service update article.

Freeview will provide further updates on their service update article and via their Facebook or Twitter support account.