Transmitter damaged by fire to be replaced

Hot tranny causes damage in Oxford.

A recently installed transmitter antenna is having to be entirely replaced after fire damaged it on May 13th. The Oxford Transmitter had recently been upgraded with new equipment in preparation for digital switchover in the area, due to commence in 2011.

The company who maintain the mast, Arqiva, have announced that the new antenna is beyond repair and a replacement will have to be produced.

The company goes on to say, “this will be installed and commissioned as soon as possible. Meanwhile, TV services from this site will continue to be transmitted from the reserve antenna (as they have been since February this year).”

The substitute mast was installed while the regular transmitter was refitted. The Oxford antenna serves around 400,000 households, and was engulfed in flames when it, after the ‘upgrade’, was turned on to full power for the first time.

“Arqiva apologises for the ongoing inconvenience caused to viewers in this area” the company add. Virgin Media and Sky subscribers are not effected, nor is the channel Five service.