The Consumers' Association yesterday labelled the government's aim of switching off the analogue television signal between 2006 and 2010 as "fatally flawed". A survey for the CA found that 32 per cent of people do not intend to buy a digital television.

The government is likely to launch an information campaign later this month to deal with confusion about the technology. A "kitemark" system to encourage people to buy digital-capable TVs is also under consideration by e-commerce minister Patricia Hewitt.