TV viewers in Whitehaven have lost ITV3 and ITV4 following the Freeview retune on Wednesday.
The popular channels were dropped by Freeview from the listings on places like Whitehaven which receive their TV from a relay transmitter (Bigrigg).
The dropping of the channels has incensed some viewers who already felt hard done-by as Whitehaven only received 20 channels whereas much of the UK receive 40 channels.
The dropping of the two ITV channels was done to make way for better reception of Channel Five and for future high definition broadcasting.
One Whitehaven News reader, Pat Graves of Moor Row, said: "I have tried ringing three separate phone numbers to complain and have been just kept hanging on for 20 minutes each time. I have been trying for three days and never get through. It's like trying to get hold of Mars.
"I want to know which channels we are going to lose the next time there is a retune. I feel really mad about this. ITV3 is a good channel with many of my favourite programmes. No one warned us we would lose these channels."
The Mirror reports that Freeview have had to stop taking phone calls because they were receiving up to 200 complaints a minute about the loss of the channels.
Satellite viewers are unaffected.
Alan Cleaver, digital correspondent for The Whitehaven News said: "This story has generated more calls and letters than any other one this year! The public are absolutely incensed that these channels have been dropped without any consultation beforehand and without any warning.
"The only reference to the loss of these channels is halfway down the Freeview web page which ambiguously says: 'Some viewers who receive their Freeview service from a relay transmitter will no longer be able be able to receive ITV3 and ITV4. As a result of moving position on the Freeview platform, a small percentage of homes will find they lose these services after retuning'.
"The towns on relay transmitters (like Whitehaven) are once again the poor citizens of digital Britain and unfortunately there's not even a suggestion that there will be any improvement for years to come.
"Many callers have asked me what they can do. I can only advise that if ITV3 and ITV4 are so important to them that they drop Freeview. Freesat offers 200 channels - including ITV3 and ITV4 - for a one-off payment starting at £150. There's also Sky of course who are offering good deals at the moment.
"But there's also the possibility that you can point your TV aerial at Caldbeck instead of Bigrigg which will give you the extra channels. It is worth talking to an aerial installer as to whether it's possible for your house to tune into Caldbeck rather than the relay transmitter."
The Whitehaven News will be carrying a story on this in next week's paper.
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