A mystery shopper exercise has found confusion about the future availability of HD services on the DTT platform Freeview and to a lesser extent terrestrial TV. The research, conducted by Continental Research from the regulator Ofcom found that when stores gave inaccurate information this was normally as a result of lack of knowledge rather than intent to deceive. Some stores gave the suggestion that HD was already available terrestrially – a trial was carried out last year in the London area – though Ofcom only launched a consultation on the availability of HD over DTT last week.
The level and accuracy of information varied from store to store, although the survey concluded that in the majority of cases the information was accurate.
In store information was generally more reliable than information given over the phone and store websites were also less clear than their bricks and mortar counterparts.
