q iva . ▁ ▁Reg ulation ▁of ▁the ▁broadcast ing ▁and ▁tele communic ations ▁sector ▁is ▁reg ulated ▁by ▁Of Com . ▁ ▁History ▁Television ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Ireland ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁BBC ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁( B BC ▁Northern ▁Ireland ) ▁when ▁it ▁began ▁broadcast ing ▁television ▁program mes ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁with ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁Ul ster ▁Television ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁U TV ). ▁ ▁Digital ▁terrest rial ▁television ▁Digital ▁terrest rial ▁television ▁is ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁Free view ▁service . ▁As ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁all ▁analog ue ▁TV ▁broadcast s ▁have ▁been ▁shut ▁down , ▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁Free view ▁HD ▁( an ▁M PE G - 2 ▁D VB - T ▁& ▁M PE G - 4 ▁D VB - T 2 ▁SD ▁& ▁HD TV ▁service ). ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁UK ▁regions ▁to ▁switch ▁off ▁analog ue ▁signals ▁and ▁see ▁the ▁roll out ▁of ▁Free view ▁SD ▁& ▁HD . ▁ ▁Form er ly , ▁only ▁two - third s ▁of ▁homes ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁receive ▁Free view ▁services ▁from ▁the ▁three ▁main ▁transmit ters ▁( B rough er ▁Mountain , ▁Div is ▁and ▁Lim av ady ). ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁switch over , ▁the ▁Free view ▁service ▁was ▁boost ed ▁in ▁power ▁and ▁extended ▁to ▁relay ▁transmit ters ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time