Ofcom has said that around 400,000 households in the UK will not be able to receive a reliable digital terrestrial television signal after switchover in 2012, with some unable to receive any signal at all.
The communications industry regulator has said that although switchover will significantly improve the availability of digital terrestrial television signal, around 1.5% of homes in Britain will have problems, with some losing reception for several days of the year and some not getting any signal.
The Ofcom consumer panel, in its report to Tessa Jowell, also identified that “digital switchover presents the biggest challenges for those who are socially isolated.” The panel concluded “people without an adequate network of support from friends, family, neighbours or carers will therefore be particularly vulnerable.”
The body has expressed concerns, saying it is essential that people in these circumstances have sufficient support to ensure that they are not involuntarily deprived of access to television after switchover.
It maintains that consumer awareness of the accessibility of features of set-top box equipment, such as an on-screen signer and access to subtitles, will therefore be an important issue as switchover approaches.
Recently, chief executive of digital TV implementation body Digital UK, Ford Ennals, stated that the analogue switch-off timetable is going to schedule (see UK Digital TV Transition On Track).
However, consumer group Which? also recently released a survey that revealed UK consumers are still uncertain about the digital switchover (see Consumers Still In The Dark Over Analogue Switchover).
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