ITV Digital’s liquidators, Grant Thornton, are set to undertake the mammoth task of contacting the platform’s 1 million former subscribers to request they give up their set top box or pay £39.99 to keep it.
Grant Thornton is to contact each of the 1 million subscribers by post to inform them that the boxes were only loaned by ITV Digital and must be bought or returned.
The situation arose because every subscriber who signed up to ITV Digital after the end of 1999 received a free set top box for the duration of their contract, but the box remained the property of the broadcaster.
A spokesperson for the Grant Thornton explained: “We are offering customers the chance to purchase the boxes at what we believe is a discounted price. Those who take up the offer will be given instructions on how to tune in to receive the BBC’s new digital terrestrial service, Freeview.”
However, it is believed that many owners can already receive Freeview, while some disgruntled customers may have thrown their set top box away. Those who have moved house may also be difficult to contact.
According to the liquidators, the recovery of the boxes, which have are thought to have potential value of around £40 million, is set to be a long drawn out process. They estimate that sending the letters alone will take over two months and will depend on the logistics of call-center capacity and print runs.
The liquidators will also be collecting the boxes from those who do not wish to keep them at their own cost. It has been suggested that it may be some time before ITV Digital’s creditors receive the £1.25 billion they are currently owed (see ITV Digital Creditors Lose More Than £1 Billion).
