UK leads way in digital TV

The UK has a higher take-up of digital TV than the US, Japan, Germany and France, according to telecoms watchdog Ofcom.

In its second annual International Communications Market report, Ofcom said that 76 per cent of households in the UK had digital TV at the end of 2006, ahead of the US with 61 per cent and Japan with 60 per cent.

Digital radio is also popular in the UK with 20 per cent of households having a digital radio set.

Another area in which the UK is leading the way is bundling, with 40 per cent of households in the UK taking more than one service from a provider. The average deal for landline, basic pay-TV and broadband costs £25 per month.

This compares to £27.22 in France, £39.77 in Germany and £69.54 in the US.

But when it comes to broadband speed, only 68 per cent of UK consumers are happy with the speed of their connection, compared to 85 per cent in the US.

And the UK and Japan had the biggest gap between advertised broadband speed and actual speed, with 25 per cent of respondents claiming to receive a lower speed than that advertised.

Ed Richards, Ofcom's chief executive said: "The report shows that convergence, bundling and the move to digital communications is a powerful global phenomenon. It’s important to understand international comparisons so Ofcom can develop better policies to serve the interests of consumers and citizens in the UK."

Aamir Baloch, director of telecoms at price-comparison service Firsthelpline.com said that the report's findings were a mixed bag for the UK.

"While other countries might pay slightly more, they generally also receive a faster, better quality and more transparent service – and are already leaving UK broadband behind," he said.

Baloch also warned of the hidden dangers of bundled deals.

"There is no such thing as a free lunch. It's important to be aware that 'cheap' bundled services can often lock customers into long deals which are very difficult to get out of when something goes wrong," said Baloch.

www.ofcom.org.uk
www.firsthelpline.com

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