Londoners, keep an eye on your Gok, the 4G 800MHz test is coming

Following pretty successful tests across the Black Country, the company responsible for checking that the 800MHz 4G doesn’t bleed into digital TV is now testing in London.

This test is far bigger than the first and will squirt a 4G signal at 800MHz across 170,000 homes in Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. The testing is important because networks are looking to use the 800MHz band which was, until recently, occupied by analogue TV transmissions. Repeaters and boosters could cause issues, so a band of aerial engineers will no doubt be rubbing their hands together as the possibility of interference looms.

The fix, if you do experience anything, is a relatively easy one. Just call the at800 helpline and some engineers will come for free and sort you right out.

Satellite and cable viewers won’t be affected, but if you’re watching Freeview digital TV in South East London you could see Gok fragmenting all over your screen.

Show Press Release (344 More Words)

Freeview and 4G at 800 MHz coexistence test in south east London

10th April 2013

A test to help understand the extent to which 4G at 800 MHz may disrupt Freeview is being run in south east London. at800 is asking viewers in the area to report problems with television reception from Monday 15 April. at800 is the organisation tasked with ensuring viewers continue to receive Freeview when 4G mobile services at 800 MHz are launched later this year*.

Approximately 170,000 household and business addresses in parts of Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets are being contacted directly to alert them to the test. This larger-scale testing follows an initial small-scale test in the West Midlands**.

at800 has a team of professional aerial installers and testing units in the area that will respond to calls from viewers, visit addresses reporting problems and restore Freeview.

Only new 4G services that will roll out at 800 MHz have the potential to cause problems to Freeview reception. 4G enables mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablet PCs to access the internet at super-fast speeds and is expected to bring innovations in business, entertainment, education and public services.

Simon Beresford-Wylie, chief executive of at800, said “These larger tests are essential to help improve our forecast model and the way we’ll tackle potential issues caused by 4G at 800 MHz. We are extremely grateful to viewers in south east London for their help with these important tests.”

If you live in the south east London area and notice problems with your Freeview service from 15 April, please contact at800 by calling 0333 31 31 800. You will be asked for your postcode, the type of interference and the time it occurred. This will allow at800 to restore your service as soon as possible. Freeview is the television that viewers receive through their aerial.

at800 has advised that if you’ve not been contacted directly through the post any interference to your Freeview service is unlikely to be due to the 4G test. TVs connected to a cable or satellite service are not affected.

For more information, visit http://www.at800.tv

Comments (2)