Digital TV advice must improve

Customers are being given poor advice on how to go digital, just a few weeks before the first digital TV switchover takes place in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

Research carried out by Digital UK, the body in charge of the digital switchover, has found there is a lack of knowledge among retail staff about the process, which will start this October, and will finish in 2012.

When the switchover takes place, analogue signals will be turned off, meaning that TVs will only be able to receive TV programmes via a digital signal.

A digital signal can be obtained by a set-top box connected to the TV, via a satellite dish, through a cable service, or via a telephone line.

Assessments carried out in stores found that 56 per cent were unable to explain what will happen to VCRs once the switchover takes place.

Only 27 per cent of the 256 stores under assessment carried out a postcode check on the customers’ TV reception options, and only a worrying 32 per cent of stores knew what the ‘digital tick’ logo meant though 69 per cent of stores were using the logo.

"With just weeks remaining until the first analogue TV signals are turned off, retailers have an indispensable role to play in helping people get ready. But the quality of in-store advice must improve if switchover is to be a success," said Ford Ennals, the chief executive of Digital UK.

This isn’t the first time Digital UK has highlighted the lack of knowledge in this area, as earlier this year Web User reported that 80 per cent of Britons were confused by the digital switchover.

Mr Ennals continued: "Our range of new initiatives, running in partnership with the retail trade is designed to further improve the level of the switchover knowledge and understanding among staff."

One of the planned initiatives is making the Ask Digital advisor scheme more accessible to stores. The Ask Digital advisor scheme has trained 6,500 staff to answer switchover questions.

Other initiatives include developing pocket cards for staff explaining issues like analogue recording; partnerships with leading unassisted stores, such as supermarkets, to increase the availability and prominence of information; and new advertising to explain the ‘digital tick’ logo.

www.digitaluk.co.uk

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