BBC: DTT viewers expect HD services

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have issued a joint statement calling their first trials of high definition television on the digital terrestrial platform a success.

A closed sample group of around 450 households in the London area were equipped with HD-capable digital terrestrial receivers in June to test the feasibility of carrying HD broadcasts on the platform.

Feedback from the sample group indicated an expectation for HD services to be delivered on digital terrestrial, with the triallists on average calling for six or seven HD channels to be made available on Freeview. 98% of the triallists said it was "important" to have HD services on the platform, with 90% saying that the public service broadcasters should be "at the forefront of HD developments."

95% of triallists said HD quality as delivered over Freeview met or exceeded their expectations.

"It's clear even from this small trial that audiences increasingly expect us and the other major broadcasters to offer high quality HD programming on Freeview in the future," said the BBC's head of high definition TV, Seetha Kumar. "All trialists experienced our HD programmes first hand. Many of them liked what they saw, and wanted more of it.

"We would like to be able to provide that level of quality to Freeview viewers, alongside other platforms, in years to come."