ACCORDING  to site operators Arqiva in a new update provided today, a planned power increase at the new Eston Nab transmitter has brought coverage to 250,000 households in total.

The power increase was completed today and will bring coverage for main channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 services.

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Arqiva, site operators for the Bilsdale mast, have also said that work to install additional equipment at Arncliffe Wood to further extend coverage is also in progress and is expected to be complete by the weekend.

A spokesperson for the infrastructure company said: “We are pleased to report that the planned power increase at Eston Nab has been completed this morning (19/08), which has increased coverage for TV (PSB1, 2 and 3 multiplexes featuring the main BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel5 services) to more than 250,000 households in total.

"SDL and D1 Digital commercial radio multiplexes - including stations such as Absolute Radio, Classic, Planet Rock, Times Radio, Scala Radio, Boom Radio, Kiss, Magic and Talksport - are now also broadcasting from Eston Nab to much of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and the coast to Hartlepool.

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"We can also confirm that in the last 48 hours the Digital TV relay at Peterlee has returned to service, as it is now taking its feed from our Pontop Pike site.

"Work to install additional equipment at Arncliffe Wood to further extend coverage is also in progress and is still expected to be complete by this weekend."

A spokesperson for Freeview said: “If you live around Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Thornaby-on-Tees, Darlington, Barnard Castle, Richmond or Billingham, you may now see some channels on your TV as a result of the continued engineering work.

“If your TV is still struggling to pick up any signal, an automatic retune could help. For information on how to retune, alongside detailed advice for each area, please visit our website at https://www.freeview.co.uk/bilsdale-transmitter

“If your TV still can’t pick up a signal, we understand how frustrating this must be, and engineers are working round the clock to further improve the coverage as soon as possible.

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“If you have an online connection, you can watch Freeview content via a connected Freeview Play TV, the Freeview website, or the Freeview mobile app. 

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