Freeview customers with HD screens will be glad to hear the news that from next year, ITV, Channel 4 and BBC will launch High Definition channels via the Freeview service. An expected launch date of “late autumn” 2009 is rumoured. It was also confirmed that a fourth HD channel was expected to launch by 2010.
As for coverage areas, it’s slated to be available in the Granada region next year, followed by Wales, Scotland and the West Country in 2010; Central, Yorkshire, Anglia and Meridian in 2011; and London, Tyne Tees and Ulster by 2012.
The only problem is that all current Freeview Box’s will have to be replaced to the HD version to get this service. This will probably be a compressed HD image due to bandwidth problems until the analogue service is switch off.