Ofcom has issued proposals to ITV, Channel 4 and Five saying they should be obliged to provide digital coverage that is substantially the same as existing analogue coverage.
The watchdog has asked broadcasters to submit their proposals by October 25.
Broadcasters will have to comply by December 2012 when the government is planning to switch off the analogue signal altogether.
The government wants to switch completely to digital to free up broadcast spectrum and sees it as the next evolutionary stage of television because digital provides more opportunity for interactivity.
Half of homes in the UK currently have digital television either through BSkyB's satellite platform, Telewest and NTL's cable systems, or Freeview, which is part owned by the BBC.
Freeview, which recently hit the 4m mark, is by far the cheapest, with viewers paying a one-off fee for a set-top box. However, a large percentage of the country can not receive it due to poor signals.
Digital switchover in the UK will involve up to 90m television devices being adapted. If, by 2012, households have not made the relevant changes they could be stuck with no TV.
The government put back its timetable for switching off analogue TV signals to 2012 in July this year, following widespread scepticism about the previous 2010 target.
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