The BBC has begun DVB-T2 test transmissions from the Guildford transmitter southwest of London, in preparation for HD on Freeview. The transmission facilities are provided by National Grid Wireless and Arqiva as part of their support for the DVB standardisation process and the UK project for the launch of DVB-T2 services.

This follows the approval by the DVB Project of the DVB-T2 specification and this will be the first time signals compliant with the DVB-T2 specification will be broadcast. DVB-T2 is the next generation digital terrestrial transmission standard for new HDTV services on Freeview. Currently, Freeview services use the DVB-T standard which was defined more than 10 years ago. DVB-T2 can provide significantly more capacity and this will be essential for HDTV services to be launched on Freeview, currently planned for the end of 2009.

BBC Research & Innovation has been leading the work of the DVB group. In parallel, it has been developing a modulator/demodulator (modem) compliant with the new specification.

Justin Mitchell, leader of the DVB-T2 modem development team at the BBC, said: "We are delighted that our team in collaboration with our partners has been able to deliver such a key piece of technology in such a short timescale. This is a big step forward in enabling the introduction of full HD terrestrial on Freeview by the end of 2009."

DVB will be showcasing the DVB-T2 technology at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam in September 2008 with papers, hourly talks and live demonstrations.

www.bbc.co.uk