BOURNEMOUTH residents who paid hundreds of pounds to upgrade their aerials ahead of the digital switchover were disappointed to then lose 80 channels.

The residents of a block of flats in West Cliff Gardens thought they were well prepared for the change, after they paid around £700 to upgrade to Freeview and Freesat.

But their excitement at having 129 channels to choose from was short-lived.

Following the switchover on March 22, they discovered that they had lost all their radio channels and the selected television channels and were instead back down to just 49.

Alan Burton-Smith, 62, said: “I’m frustrated that the Government has had nearly five years to plan this through and yet it still hasn’t gone smoothly.

“It’s cost us collectively a lot of money to get a lot of frustration.

“The person who put our new aerial system in said he was inundated with calls from people who can’t get the channels they used to.”

Advice from Digital UK said the West Cliff residents should try to retune their Freeview equipment on April 18.

They are advised to call them if this does not solve the problem.

Bill Taylor, regional manager, said: “Digital TV switchover across the south of England has gone smoothly, with around two million viewers of the Rowridge and Whitehawk Hill transmitters making the successful transition from analogue to Freeview digital television.

“Remember to retune your Freeview equipment again on April 18.

“That is when some TV channels broadcast from the Rowridge and Hannington transmitters will move to higher power.

“This will happen on the same day that the Crystal Palace transmitter, based in London, completes its switchover.”