4G causing problems with Freeview in Much Wenlock
New mobile phone services have been switched on in a Shropshire town – but it could cause interference to Freeview.
The fourth generation services, known as 4G, will give people in Much Wenlock faster access to the internet on smartphones and tablets.
However, there is a small chance that some 4G mobile signals transmitted at 800 MHz will cause interference to Freeview, which is TV signal received via an aerial.
Because 4G at 800 MHz signals sit next to the frequencies used by Freeview, they can overload the receivers in TVs and set-top boxes, causing interference.
Signs of interference are loss of sound, pictures going ‘blocky’, freezing of the TV screen, or it going blank or showing a ‘No Signal’ message.
Set up under government direction, a company called at800 is offering free support to households that rely on Freeview for their TV to resolve 4G related interference problems so that viewers in Much Wenlock can keep enjoying their favourite programmes. And at800 also offers extra support for the elderly and those that receive disability premiums (income support).
Ben Roome, CEO of at800, said: “We want to ensure that people know it’s our role to fix Freeview interference caused by 4G at 800 MHz, and that there’s no charge for our service.
“If you rely on Freeview for TV, we can arrange for one of our accredited engineers to visit homes to fix Freeview interference caused by 4G signals, free of charge. If you use Freeview alongside other TV services, we can send free filters which block mobile signals that are easy to fit to the aerial lead connecting to TVs and set-top boxes.”
With more 4G masts due to go live, any viewers who experience new interference to Freeview should contact at800 on 0808 13 13 800, which is free from landlines and mobiles.
