The Government’s plans to switch off the analogue television signal by the proposed 2010 deadline have been boosted by news that sales of integrated digital TVs are set to double or triple this year.
More than half of the UK population now receives multi-channel television either through Sky Digital, cable or the recently launched Freeview digital terrestrial service. However, the analogue switch off will still depend on large numbers of consumers swapping their existing TVs for digital ones.
New research carried out by www.idtv.co.uk shows that the average price of a standard integrated digital television (IDTV) fell by almost £100 last year. However, it is still far cheaper for consumers to buy a Freeview decoder than an digital television.
According to the study, this is all about to change and with prices expected to fall further during 2004 manufacturers are predicting that sales of IDTVs to double or triple. This would increase the total number of installed sets from around 500,000 at the end of last year to around 1 million by the end of this year.
Barry Flynn, founder of www.idtv.co.uk, said: “The price differential is very important because at the moment it is actually cheaper for consumers to buy an new analogue set and a Freeview decoder. But as soon as the price differential falls below £50 then consumers are going to be better off buying an IDTV.”
It is understood that manufacturers are also currently in discussions with the BBC to try and persuade the Corporation to include information about IDTVs in its ongoing advertising campaign to promote awareness of its digital channels.
The increase in IDTV sales could significantly boost the Government’s chances of taking the country digital by the end of the decade. However, Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, recently admitted it would be difficult to persuade all viewers to abandon their analogue televisions (see BBC Charter Review Will Focus On Digital Television).
Her admission came after a recent Government survey revealed that one in ten UK householders will not voluntarily switch to multi-channel televison and a further 6% saying they will never buy digital equipment even if it means having to stop watching television altogether (see Government Faces Backlash Against Analogue Switch-Off).
