The UK Digital Switchover (DSO) programme

This year's annual John Logie Baird IET lecture hosted by the IET Multimedia Network discusses Hybrid TV and TV Convergence.
This lecture is intended to capture the spirit and excitement of 2012 in the TV industry, from the launch of Youview, to L2012 and DSO. This year is a pivotal year in the UK for TV. However, the event will also look at the rapid growth and changes in TV around the world as well.
Jose Luis Vazquez will be covering the scenario of the challenges and progress on the standardisation regarding Interactive TV and specifically, Connected TV with a focus on HbbTV.

Peter Heslop is the DSO programme director of Arqiva, which provides transmission and network services to the UK's broadcasting and mobile communication sectors. Arqiva is responsible for the broadcasting of all terrestrial TV signals as well as BBC radio and the majority of the UK's commercial radio stations. As such the company has replaced all pre-existing UK terrestrial TV networks with a new high-power network in the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
As DSO Programme Director, Peter is responsible for ensuring a smooth transition from analogue TV to a digital-only service by the end of 2012, which is the Government-mandated deadline.
Since joining Arqiva's predecessor in 1980 (the engineering division of the Independent Broadcasting Authority), Peter has held a variety of roles. He started out as part of the Channel 4 build team, responsible for the successful rollout of the transmitter network in 1982. He has also played a key role in the rollout of TV relays, Independent Local Radio (ILR), and Channel 5 as well as the ITV re-engineering project and the introduction of existing low-power DTT.
From 1995 to 2005, Peter was responsible for design and management of all Arqiva masts and towers and has held his current role leading DSO since 2005.
Peter graduated from the University of Manchester in 1975 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.