The possible collapse of ITV Digital will hit the Government's
plans for digital TV harder than it will hit the retailers that
provide interactive TV services, analysts have warned.
The terrestrial pay-TV platform was placed into administration last
week. If it goes into liquidation it would hit the Government's
aims to get the whole country on to digital TV by 2010, but the
effect on the interactive TV retail market would be negligible,
said Davnet Cassidy, an analyst at research firm GartnerG2.
"The majority of interactive services are available via Sky's
Active platform," she said. "A number of retailers had signed up to
ITV Digital but it was more of an experimental platform than
anything else because of its low consumer take up."
Cassidy added, "A terrestrial network is important for the
Government's 2010 targets for reaching people in areas cable and
satellite cannot reach. To meet these targets the Government will
have to intervene by, for example, subsidising set-top-boxes."