Research conducted by the Ofcom Consumer Panel, which comprises 11 of the watchdog's senior members, indicated that many people depended on family and friends to tell them about new technology, and that families from poorer backgrounds were not being adequately targeted as part of the government's planned help scheme.
Ofcom had previously stated that awareness of digital switchover had doubled since 2005, but 60% of low income households were still uninformed of the government's drive towards complete UK digital TV coverage.
Colette Bowe, consumer panel chairman for Ofcom, said: "The needs of socially isolated households are in danger of not being met. We are calling on the government to rethink its programme of support for vulnerable households, which is poorly targeted and inadequate in scope."
Criticism of the government's digital switchover has previously stemmed from confusion over who has ultimate responsibility for the process, which is divided between two government departments. Ofcom has also criticised lack of clarity on the provision of assistance and the role of retailers and installers.
The consumer panel said that it did not believe that Digital UK, the company assigned to coordinate the switchover process, was adequately funded to handle the scale of work required to carry out the task.
Bowe added: "The panel believes that there should be a single line of management responsibility and accountability which makes it clear who is ultimately responsible for the entire digital switchover programme.
"The government's view that it sees 'no reason now to change the current arrangements' in spite of the DCMS select committee's recent recommendation for change adds to our concerns."
The digital switchover process aims to ensure that region by region every UK TV network and household crosses over to digital coverage, starting with Border in 2008 and ending in 2012 with London, Meridian, Tyne & Wear and Ulster.
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