Divis Transmitter must stay on air to keep Northern Ireland safe, report warns

The Divis Transmitter should remain on air until at least 2044 to help protect Northern Ireland during cyber attacks, power cuts and other major emergencies, a new report has warned.

The landmark transmitter, which overlooks Belfast and serves hundreds of thousands of homes across Northern Ireland, could be taken off air under proposals to end aerial television broadcasts from 2034.

However, a report from the National Preparedness Commission warns that closing the Freeview network could leave Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK dangerously reliant on internet-based communications during a national emergency.

It argues that Divis and the UK’s wider network of more than 1,450 television and radio transmission sites should be treated as critical national infrastructure because they can continue broadcasting when mobile phone and internet services fail.

The report points to the major blackout across Spain and Portugal, which caused widespread disruption to electricity supplies and internet services, as an example of the risks facing modern communications networks.

During the crisis, people were pictured gathering around car radios to receive updates, demonstrating the continuing importance of terrestrial broadcasting when other forms of communication are unavailable.

Transmitters including Divis form part of a network capable of reaching 98.5% of UK households. Unlike streaming platforms, terrestrial television and radio can continue providing news and emergency information during widespread power, mobile network or broadband outages.

The report concludes that retaining terrestrial broadcasting until at least 2044 would provide an independent means of keeping the public informed when cyber attacks, severe storms or power failures affect internet and telephone services.

Mark Steele, Chief Operations Officer at Arqiva, which operates the UK’s broadcast network, said: “The debate amongst government and broadcasters has focused too heavily on changing viewing habits and streaming services while overlooking the role transmitters such as Divis play in national resilience – keeping the UK public safe and informed in the event of an emergency.

“Retaining Freeview is not simply about preserving television services but maintaining a wider communications platform used to support emergency information, radio broadcasting and wider critical infrastructure, including emergency services communication and coast guard communications.

“Removing digital terrestrial television too quickly would undermine the economics of the wider network and increase costs for other essential services. That leaves the UK vulnerable.

“The key question is not simply how people will watch television in the future, but what communications capabilities the country will need when internet-based systems are unavailable.”

Lord Toby Harris, Chair of National Preparedness Commission, said: “The question for government is much more than how people will watch television in future, but how the country will communicate when internet-based systems fail. The UK’s tall tower network is a sovereign, resilient asset that reaches almost every household and supports radio, emergency services and critical infrastructure. Protecting terrestrial broadcasting until at least 2044 would preserve a vital, independent route for trusted public information when it is needed most.”