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On 17 October 2007, 25,000 households in Whitehaven, Cumbria will no longer be able to recieve analogue television signals. Over the course of the next four and a half years the UK will switch, region by region, to digital. The benefits of the switchover are many - there'll be no more waggling the aeriel to get rid of static 'snow' or double images - but what should new digital customers look out for when making the move from analogue?

As ever, research is key. Sit down and work out what you want from your digital television package or provider; more importantly, how much do you want to spend?

Perhaps the cheapest and simplest option available to any potential new digital TV customer is to buy a 'set-top' box that decodes digital signals picked up by your existing aerial and routes them to your television. This system is currently used by the popular Freeview service. Users can add further channels on a monthly subscription basis via providers such as Top-up TV.

A small minority of UK homes may need to replace their television aerial in order to recieve digital. The general rule of thumb is that, if you already get a good analogue signal, you should be able to get a good digital signal after changeover. If you opt for a service such as Freeview, but you currently recieve a poor analogue signal, think about having your aerial checked by a local Registered Digital Installer.

If you want a little more choice and don't mind paying a little extra, satellite TV providers such as Sky offer both 'pay once' and subscription services. Sky's 'Freesat' service offers access to 120 free-to-air channels for no monthly fee but there is a £150 installation fee. Alternatively customers can sign up to Sky's popular subscription-based satellite TV service for between £15 and £42.50 per month (for a minimum 12-month contract). Installation is free.

However, if you're going to commit yourself to a monthly subscription fee anyway, you might save yourself some money by signing up for a digital cable package that offers digital television, broadband internet and telephone services (although it will depend on where you live, as cable isn't available everywhere). Digital cable provider Virgin Media sells competitively-priced packages offering on-demand films and high-speed broadband from £11 to £20.50 a month (see BeatthatQuote.com's recent article, 'Broadband appeal: Choosing the right broadband service for you', June 2007, for further information on broadband and cable offers generally).

And finally - whichever type of digital service you opt for - remember to check that your television set is suitable for digital. The good news is that almost every television should be compatible. Any television built after 1996 is likely to have a 'scart' socket, which will enable it to be connected to a digital box. And there is hope for older televisions - those with the small, round aeriel socket can still be hooked up to digital, simply ask your retailer for a set-top box with an 'RF through loop' or 'RF modulator'. The picture won't be quite as good as scart, but it will work. With the digital television switchover looming, the market for digital TV services is booming. For you that means an array of offers to choose from, at highly competitive prices...so tune in...and shop out!