The channel is set to launch on Sunday February 9 at 7pm and will be simultaneously broadcast on sister terrestrial station BBC Two, in the same way BBC Four was when it launched in March last year.
BBC Four has since been revealed to be suffering ratings problems, with audiences as low as 3,000 for its top shows. Its most popular regular shows pull in an average of 31,000 viewers.
BBC One will showcase the best of BBC Three in a special programme once a week for the first three weeks after launch.
Eastenders will be shown on BBC Three earlier than its 8pm slot on BBC One for the first two weeks after BBC Three's debut. However, the BBC has shelved plans to broadcast the soap permanently on digital TV, after the proposals were criticised as an abuse of licence fee money.
The BBC had tried to justify the move as a way of driving take-up of digital TV, but it has since backed down.
Jana Bennett, BBC director of television, said: "The BBC is committed to driving digital take-up and that is why I am happy to bring the strength of BBC One and BBC Two to help show viewers what else in on offer from the BBC with the launch of our brand new digital channel, BBC Three."
The launch of BBC Three completes the BBC's line-up of digital services, which now include seven digital radio stations, children's TV channels Cbeebies and CBBC, and BBC Four.
The digital youth channel, which replaces BBC Choice, was the last to be approved in September after a long battle with the government, which felt that the BBC's original plans were not distinctive enough from rival youth channels Sky One and E4.
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