Introduction to IRS

Around 7.5 million households in the British Isles now have digital reception equipment. The proposed system to be installed will obtain digital signals from the ASTRA satellite system that was originally launched in October 1998.

Because a significant percentage of households in the U.K. live in multiple dwelling units and essentially run from communal systems then solutions have to be found to ensure all residents can get access to digital. The solution has to be found sooner rather than later because the Government has announced that the 'old' analogue transmissions to houses will be switched off perhaps as early as 2006. This could be delayed because of the collapse of ITV digital because the vast majority of houses across the country must have access to digital signals before analogue is switched off.

Many existing properties are unable to receive Digital signals via a TV aerial because the terrestrial transmitter from which they receive signals does not transmit Digital.

The older communal systems that are installed and designed for analogue signals are not able to distribute the enormous range of digital signals.