HD Freeview available across UK by 2012

The BBC has released its timetable for rolling out Freeview HD.

The good news is that it will be available to 50% of UK homes by the time of next year’s World Cup, and to 98.5% of the UK by the time the digital switchover is completed in 2012.

Households will need to buy a Freeview HD set-top-box (STB) or TV with integrated Freeview HD, in order to receive the service.

This will be useful for viewers in range of the Manchester Winter Hill transmitter and London Crystal Palace, where Freeview HD will be provided on December 2

Key metropolitan areas, including London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford and Birmingham will receive Freeview HD by the end of March 2010.

In general the roll-out will shadow the digital switchover timetable.

BT’s IPTV service, BT Vision, has announced that the next generation of its V-box will be able to receive Freeview HD channels, but no date for the launch has yet been revealed.