Freeview could be affected as Kelso gets 4G

The good news for Kelso is that 4G masts are due to go live in the area, bringing fast mobile broadband to Tweedsiders.

However, this has been known to cause disruption to Freeview television services as some 4G signals operate at 800MHz, adjacent to the frequencies used by Freeview.

TVs and set-top boxes that receive Freeview can fail to block the 4G signals, causing interference such as a loss of sound, blocky images or loss of some or all channels.

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However, there is help available from at800 – the consumer brand of Digital Mobile Spectrum Ltd (DMSL) – an independent organisation created to ensure that all UK viewers continue to receive Freeview, or are offered a suitable alternative, when 4G at 800 MHz is activated in their area. It is funded by the UK mobile operators licensed to offer 4G mobile services at 800 MHz: EE, Telefónica UK (O2), Three and Vodafone.

Ben Roome, CEO of at800 said: “We’re already helping viewers in the area and continue to offer support.

“We want to ensure that people know it’s our role to fix any disruption to Freeview due to 4G at 800 MHz and that there’s no charge for our support.”

Any viewers who experience new disruption to Freeview should contact at800 on: 0808 13 13 800 (free from landlines and mobiles) or click here.

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If a viewer lives in a house with its own aerial, does not have satellite or cable television and 4G at 800 MHz is diagnosed as causing disruption to Freeview, at800 will restore their television service to its previous quality.

If at800 believes disruption to Freeview is due to 4G at 800 MHz, it will arrange for an accredited engineer to visit the viewer’s home, check the cause and fit an approved filter to the TV system, at no cost to the viewer. In most cases, disruption will be fixed by an at800 filter.

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