HELSINKI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Finland will switch to digital television at the beginning of September, the government said Friday.

Finland was among the first nations to digitalize its television broadcast network. In contrast to, for example, Sweden and Germany, the whole of Finland will switch over to digital television at the same time and not according to regions.

Five analogue transmission networks in Finland will be switched off early on Saturday morning. Households that receive television broadcasts through an antenna will need a digital receiver, a set-top box, or an integrated digital television to view the broadcasts. Right after the spectrum from analogue channels was released, seven new digital television channels started operations.

The first digital TV broadcasts began in Finland in 2001.