RESIDENTS in and around Northallerton are being advised that free help is at hand if their TV signal has been affected by recently installed masts.

New fourth generation mobile services, known as 4G, have been switched on in Northallerton to enable faster access to the internet on smartphones and tablets. However, there is a small chance that some 4G mobile signals will cause interference to Freeview, which is TV received via an aerial.

Problems can include loss of sound, pictures going blocky, freezing or the TV screen going blank or showing a ‘No Signal’ message.

A company called at800 has been set up under government direction to offer free support and to resolve 4G-related interference problems.

The company also offers extra support for the elderly and those that receive disability premiums.

Ben Roome, CEO of at800, said: “We want to ensure that people know it’s our role to fix Freeview interference caused by 4G at 800 MHz, and that there’s no charge for our service.

“If you rely on Freeview for TV, we can arrange for one of our accredited engineers to visit homes to fix Freeview interference caused by 4G signals, free of charge.”

With more 4G masts due to go live, any viewers who experience new interference to Freeview should contact at800 on 0808-1313800.