US kills analogue TV for good

Millions of households in the US will have empty screens when they turn on their television sets this weekend as the analogue signal is cut for good.

Authorities in the US have spent £2bn preparing for a smooth switchover to digital but not all households are prepared.

The Federal Communication Commission estimates that 2.2 million households are unprepared for the digital switchover.

Read Web User's guide to the Digital Switchover in the UK

In the UK the switchover is already underway on a region-to-region basis; in April parts of the West Country lost the analogue signal for BBC 2.

In South Devon the signal has been turned off for good.

In the US the government issued $40 coupons for households to buy digital set-top boxes to convert for the digital switchover.

However, it has faced criticism for pulling the plug in one go as elderly people and those who live in isolated areas might be left behind in the rush to go digital.