By Patrick Avenell

Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Sharp — the five most prominent TV suppliers in Australia — have all agreed to clarify the promotional material for their smart or IPTVs and connected Blu-ray players after complaints to the ACCC over the term ‘Wi-Fi ready’ being potentially misleading.

All five manufacturers have agreed to refrain from using this term or similar ones, such as ‘Wireless LAN ready’, as the TVs being sold often required an additional purchase, such as a dongle, to actually access the internet.

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"Consumers should be confident that any claim of 'Wi-Fi Ready' or 'Wireless LAN Ready' means exactly that, unless clearly stated that an additional adaptor is required,” said ACCC chairman Rod Sims.

"The ACCC considered that the term 'Ready', when used in promoting audiovisual products, is widely understood by consumers to mean the product is capable of accessing Wi-Fi, without the need to purchase any further device.

"Consumers should be able to trust that what's represented on promotional material is what they will actually get."

Retailers should note this advice and ensure that products from brands not listed in this article are also being promoted accurately.