Consumers Face £2.2 Billion Bill To Replace Analogue Equipment
Digital switchover will leave consumers facing a £2.2 billion bill for the cost of replacing analogue TV sets and VCRs, as well as the £40 instalment fee for the non-vulnerable or elderly.
This figure, researched by the price comparison and switching website uSwitch.com, is among the myriad of statistics detailing the financial and environmental impact of transforming an entire nation to digital.
Currently, there are 58 million TV sets in the UK and of those 42% are not already receiving a digital signal. Nearly five million of those are incapable of going digital and will either be scrapped in favour of more modern sets or have new receivers installed.
Equally, there are 21 million VCRs in the UK, with 38% of their owners stating that they didn’t know what to do with them and their limited functions after the switchover, and a further 19% already resigning to just take them to the dump.
Steve Weller, head of communication services at uSwitch.com, said that there was still a large amount of confusion surrounding what will happen when analogue signals are switched off, despite that event being just four months away for the first of the UK’s TV regions (see Digital Switchover Gets October Start Date).
“The digital switchover is going to affect the country in more ways than we know,” said Weller. “The government has spent millions of pounds attempting to boost consumer awareness, yet it’s clear that there’s more to be done.”
He continued: “Not only is the switchover costing the nation significantly more than the low cost of a Freeview box, but the potential environmental impact of the discarded VCRs and TVs is shattering.”
Weller concluded that collection and recycling schemes needed to be set up soon in order to tackle the mountains of equipment that will be thrown out.
In March, uSwitch.com unveiled research that found that four fifths of adults in the UK do not know when their region will have its analogue signal switched to digital (see Consumers Not Switched On To Switchover).
Last week Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People and Digital UK have jointly published research highlighting the potential impact of digital switchover on disabled, older, isolated and low income consumers.
The research highlights the need for a targeted communications campaign to educate informal, formal, and voluntary support networks (such as family members, social service departments and voluntary agencies) about the importance of reaching those most in need of help with switchover (see Ofcom Research Highlights Vulnerable In Countdown To Switchover).
Digital UK: www.digitaluk.co.uk