The lifespan of an aerial installation is in direct proportion to the quality of the components used and time taken in the installation.

If you pay less than £100 for an aerial installation it is unlikely that it will last for a significant length of time.

At Cable Guys we are so confident of the quality of our aerial installations that we offer a 5 year warranty as standard and we thoroughly expect the installation to last for over 15 years.

If you break down the cost of our aerial installation over the lifetime of the installation it can cost less than £10 a year for reliable, hassle-free television enjoyment.

After the "digital switchover" the only way to watch television through an aerial will be with an Integrated Digital Switchover (iDTV, basically a TV with a built-in digital Freeview tuner) or Freeview set-top box.

When the analogue channels are switched off more digital channels will be introduced. It is widely anticipated that High Definition (HD) channels will also be broadcast and trials of Freeview HD are expected in Manchester, Liverpool (Winter Hill transmitter) and London (Crystal Palace transmitter) in December 2010.

Many communal dwellings (such as blocks of flats, apartment blocks etc) will have an Integrated Reception System (IRS) installed so that all dwellings have access to both TV and satellite signals from a single aerial and satellite dish.

Unfortunately many of these systems were installed before the advent of digital Freeview and Sky+ and may require upgrading before residents can watch digital Freeview or Sky+.

Cable Guys have a great amount of experience with communal systems and have been contracted by many companies for the maintenance and upgrading of these systems throughout the Midlands.

If you have had problems with Freeview or Sky+ then get in contact with us and we will liaise with your estate management company to discuss how these issues can be resolved.

In our opinion to be able to watch Freeview reliably you will need two things: firstly you will need a good signal from a wideband aerial; and secondly you will need either an Integrated Digital Television (iDTV, basically a TV with built-in Freeview tuner) or a Freeview set-top box.

For the iDTV or set-top box any high-street electronics retailer will have a wide selection of appropriate choices. Almost all flatscreen TVs are now made with a Freeview tuner built-in with some also having a Freesat tuner as well.

To get an aerial installation that will provide many years of hassle-free viewing you should use a reputable and knowledgable aerial installer who only uses high-quality components and is accredited by the CAI and is a Registered Digital Installer

The "digital switchover" is happening at different times throughout the country. The Central region is switching over in mid-2011 but the last region in the UK won't switch over until mid-2012.

To find out when "digital switchover" is happening in your area check out the official Digital UK website, which contains all relevant official information about the switchover. The website also contains a lot of other useful information about the digital switchover.