@Obsolete Already!
Not just Setpal boxes. I have a Thomson which is being confused by the NIT, it currently can't work out the logical channel number for the main BBC, ITV and Ch4 channels.
Previously I had a Sagem which crashed if I was watching any BBC channela at the same time they had the news on BBC1. Sagem were no help at all - they had an 09nn number so cost a lot to ring too.
The one press annoncement about the Sutton Coldfield trial I have seen on Digital Spy (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/a97288/old-boxes-hit-by-west-mids-freeview-change.html) has as a final paragraph - "Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to us and we will make sure those affected are given helpful information and guidance on replacement products so they can continue to enjoy the Freeview service as quickly as possible." I'm effected where's my helpful information? It's not in any correspondence you've had with me?
On the subject of improvements to Freeview, as a technology it has been badly managed as a technical standard. As mentioned above, analogue TV PAL has undergone several revisions mono to colour, then add teletext, then add NICAM stereo, all done carefully to avoid widescale problems with existing kit. Freeview / UK DTT seems to operate on a "if the receiving kit is more than 12 months old it can be junked".
The latest advise seems to be buy a box with a "digital tick" but no guarantee that the standard won't change so you'll need boxes with "digital tick 2".