Digital UK on Freeview HD channel numbers: "we can not do that, sorry"

As I am sure you will know, if you have purchased yourself a Freeview HD box or TV, the actual HD channels are all sat together at the end of the guide, starting on channel 101.
This compares somewhat favourably to the seemingly random numbers provided on some other digital platforms.
However, when the public were asked "where would you like to find HD channels", the answer came back a resounding "on the normal channel numbers please".
So, is Digital UK going to do this? No.
The problem is that the existing Freeview HD services are not directly replacements for the standard definition channels, as I covered recently in I've got an HD TV ... why can't we have high definition channels in place?.
BBC One HD currently existing in three versions that are suitable for "substitution", the versions for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
BBC Two HD is currently the English version, so can be substituted only in England.
ITV has 17 standard definition versions, only four of which are in HD: Granada, Central West, Meridian East and London. Outside these areas in England, no substitution could be made.
STV has 4 standard definition variants, but one HD service: Central West, so only Glasgow could be switched automatically.
UTV is OK; it has one SD version and one HD version.
Channel 4 has 6 SD versions, but one HD version: the London (advertisements) service.
Digital UK will reconsider the introduction of substitution late 2014 or early
2015.
For more, see Statement on proposals for the Freeview HD genre and on amendments to Digital UK's LCN Policy Published: 7 August 2013.
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